MOEACEAE 123 



About 10 well defined species in the temperate regions of Europe, 

 Asia and America. The mulberries have been under cultivation for a 

 long time. Easily propagated by cuttings taken in the summer. The 

 mulberries are cultivated either for their leaves, which form the best food 

 for the silkworms, or for their fruit, which is eaten fresh or expressed for 

 the juice, which enters into the composition of cooling beverages and 

 certain medicines. The wood is handsome, light brown or orange 

 colored, straight grained, strong and durable, used for furniture, 

 agricultural implements and boat building. 



The mulberries are propagated by seeds and the varieties by grafts. 

 The seeds of Morus alba average 250,000 per lb. The germinative capacity 

 ranges from 24 to 2S%. The seeds germinate in about 25 days after 

 sowing. 



Morus alba Linnceus. 

 White Mulberry. 



Tree 10 to 15 m. tall, wibh rounded head, gray or grayish-yellow 

 branches and thick, furrowed bark. Young shoots pubescent. Leaves 

 very variable, undivided, indented or 3-lobed, or occasionally compoundly 

 lobed on sprouts and young shoots; coarsely and irregularly toothed, 

 shining green above, dull green, pubescent on the midrib and veins 

 below; petiole 2-4 cm. long. Pistillate catkins on long stalks, 5-12 mm. 

 long. Fruit very variable in size, 1-5 cm. long, white, violet or reddish.. 



The White Mulberry occurs wild in the mountainous districts of the 

 Central and Northern Provinces of China. All varieties are cultivated 

 for their leaves, upon which the silkworms are fed. The bark of the roots 

 yields a medicine valued in the Chinese Materia Medica. The wood is 

 used for cabinet-work, musical instruments, carving and turnery. In 

 Japan a hand-made paper is manufactured from the bark. 



Morus acidosa Griffith. 



Usually a shrub; rarely a small tree up to 6 m. tall. A widely 

 distributed and distinct species with a prominent style and shiny black 

 fiuit which is edible. The leaves are not fed to silkworms. (Wilson). 



China, Korea and Japan. 



(Chihli, Hupeh, Szechuan, Kweichow, Yunnan, Kwangtung and 

 Formosa.) 



