THE FIGS 165 



The hardy Russian mulberries are derived from M. alba. 

 These have done much to enrich the horticulture of our 

 Northern states, but the parent tree, though it thrives in 

 the eastern United States and in the South, has not been 

 the means of establishing silk culture on a paying basis 

 in this country. 



The Black Mulberry 



M, nigra, Linn. 



The black mulberry, probably a native of Persia, has 

 large, dark red, juicy fruits, for which it is extensively 

 cultivated in Europe. In this country it is hardy only in 

 the Southern and the Pacific Coast states. It is the best 

 fruit tree of its family, yet no mulberry is able to take 

 rank among profitable fruit trees. The fruits are too sweet 

 and soft, and they lack piquancy of flavor. They ripen a 

 few at a time and are gathered by shaking the trees. 



The dark green foliage of the black mulberry gives 

 ample shade throughout the season. Planted in the 

 garden or in the border of the lawn where no walk will 

 be defaced by the dropping fruits, the mulberry is a par- 

 ticularly desirable tree because it attracts some of our 

 most desirable song-birds to build on the premises. 

 Given a mulberry tree and a bird-bath near by, and the 

 smallest city lot becomes a bird sanctuary through the 

 summer and a wayside inn for transients during the 

 two migratory seasons. 



THE FIGS 



The genus ficus belongs to all tropical countries, and 

 this remarkable ranf^o accounts for the six hundred differ- 



