148 THE EVOLUTION OF OUR NATIVE FRUITS 



Just at the time when the public began to feel the 

 excitement of the new silk industry, a new element 

 was added to the contagion, and there arose the 

 wildest speculation which American agriculture has 

 ever known. This was the introduction of the mul- 

 tieaulis mulberry. Perrottet had introduced a new 

 mull terry into France from the Philippines in 1824, 

 the large leaves and rapid growth of which at once 

 attracted the attention of all silk-growers. It turned 

 out that this tree had come originally from China, 

 and was thought to lie the source of the famous 

 Chinese silk. IVrmttet called it Morns multicaulis, 

 from its habit of branching or sprouting from the base. 

 This tree reached America about lsi'f), and in 1830 oi- 

 ls:;! it was introduced into Massachusetts by William 

 Kenrick, author of the "New American Orchardist." 



The fame of the tree spread rapidly. The records 

 of the next ten ye;irsivad 1 ike tiet ion . Many nursery- 

 men gave up all other business that they might grow 

 the mulberry, and they realized several hundred per 

 cent profit. The secret of the Chinese silk had hern 

 discovered, and every available acre from New Eng- 

 land to tin' Gulf must he covered with the mulberry, 

 and men must train their hands to the breeding of the 

 worms and the spinning of silken threads! One nur- 

 seryman, who is still living, went to the West [ndies, 

 that he mighl grow hundreds of thousands of trees 



during the winter season, bo greal was the haste for 

 plants. Prom the thinly settled parts of the West 

 the planters came eager for trees al almost any price, 

 and even in Maine the demand was great. Then 

 came the reaction. The market was supplied and soon 

 overstocked. A disease appeared. The winters oi 



