DWYEK'S GUIDE. 45 



have, and is valuable on 1,his account as well as for its annual bearing 

 and productive fruit. Ripens early in October. 



Rea's Mammoth. — A superb fruit, much larger than Orange, but of 

 the same form and color. Tree healthy, very thrifty grower, productive. 

 Season for fruit, October and earlv November. 



THE MULBERRY, 



This tree is not extensively grown and cultivated for its fruit, which 

 is not popular with the classes, probably because we have such a quantity 

 of fruit at its season of ripening that is richer and of better flavor, yet 

 we have found many people who like the flavor of the Mulberry and eat 

 it with great relish. It was the late noted divine, Henry Ward Beecher, 

 who remarked, "I would rather have a tree of the Downing Mulberry 

 than a bed of strawberries." The fruit begins to ripen early in July, and 

 continues in bearing for six to eight weeks, a desirable and valuable 

 characteristic which will be appreciated by all who like the fruit. How- 

 ever, the Mulberry has another and very important value: it is a mag- 

 nificent shade tree, a clean, healthy, vigorous grower, developing into a 

 large handsome tree. It is furnished with a profusion of foliage of deep 

 v'erdure, making a dense and delightful shade and is one of our choicest 

 ornamental trees and suitable for planting on home grounds and about 

 the poultry yards, as the fowl like the fruit and eat it as soon as it drops 

 from the trees. The trees are easily grown, thrive well in sod ground 

 and need little if any pruning. An important factor in planting the 

 Mulberry, and generally overlooked, is their fruit attract the birds and 

 keep them from destroying our other fruits. We want the birds and 

 should plant fruit such as the Mulberry for their benefit. 



Downing. — This is the finest variety of Mulberry yet introduced and its 

 rapid growth, profusion of foliage of such deep verdure and dense shade 

 should give it popularity. It is a charming tree, with a shapely and com- 

 pact habit of form, long-lived, and its wood very durable. The fruit is 

 very abundant. It is sweet, is free from the mawkish, cloying sweetness 

 of other Mulberries, and is really very good. W^e regard it as especially 

 desirable for planting in grounds of limited extent, such as the village 

 door yard, where but one or two shade trees are grown. For this purpose 

 it is not excelled by any other tree and no one will regret planting it. 



Russian. — A very hardy, rapid growing timber tree of great value, 

 especially at the West. Introduced by the Mennonites: foliage abundant, 

 and is said to be very desirable in the culture of silk worms. Fruit of 

 good size and produced in great abundance. 



Hictc's Everbearing. — Remarkably prolific and remains a verj' long 

 time in bearing; the fruit is of good size, rich and sweet. An excellent 

 sort for furnishing food for poultr3^ which are excessively fond of Mul- 

 berries. By many this is esteemed superior to Downing. 



New American. — ^Equal to Downing, but a much hardier tree; fruit 

 large and black. 



