0120 



South Sea island natives prepare a kind of unwoven material from the bark [Translator's 

 note: tapa cloth] that they use for clothing. 



It's desirable that this tree be cultivated on a large scale for its great utility. 

 [Translator's note: later reports revealed that the quality of the paper failed to live up to 

 these enthusiastic expectations, and that silkworms (see below) could not survive on the 

 leaves.] Its leaves serve as fodder for cattle, and especially for sheep, which are very fond 

 of it in both summer and winter. For this purpose it's kept bushy and pruned every year in 

 August. Half of the branches are cut at ground level for immediate use or for drying. 



CULTIVATION. The tree is readily propagated from seeds that are generated 

 abundantly from one male plant plus several females. It's also propagated from runners, 

 cuttings, and grafts. The roots extend a long way and put out a lot of shoots. It grows in 

 practically all areas, but it prefers fresh, loose soil. M. Desfontaines [Translator's note: 

 Rene Louiche-Desfontaines, 1750-1833, French botanist] says that he has seen silkworms 

 eat the leaves even when they were mixed with those of the white mulberry. 



KEY TO PLATES. 



[Numbering corrected by translator. ,] 



Male paper mulberry. 1. Calyx and stamens. 



Female paper mulberry. 1. Female catkin (transverse section) and receptacle 



