HORACES. 2S7 



wood of the white mulberry is used for various purposes. 

 The roots furnish a yellow dyestufl. In western Asia the 

 fruit is ground into a meal for food. 



MORUS NIGRA (Black Mulberry) 



Description. — The black mulberry often attains a height of 

 40 to 60 feet and a diameter of i to 2 feet. The numerous 

 branches are slender, slightly hairy at first, but later become 

 smooth and brownish gray. The leaves are dark, dull green, 

 large, pointed at the apex, rounded or heart-shaped at the 

 base, and the teeth rather small and close together. The 

 stsuninsLte inflorescences are i to 2 centimeters long. _ The pis- 

 tillate inflorescences are from 5 to 8 millimeters long. The 

 fruit is black, i to 2 centimeters long and has a deep red juice. 



Geogiaphical. — Morus nigra is a native of Asia, probably of Persia. It 

 has become naturalized in various parts of Europe and in the United States. 

 In this country, it occurs in the Southern States and on the Pacific Coast. 



Varieties. — The black mulberry has always been the prin- 

 cipal fruit-bearing mulberry in Europe and, in an early day, 

 in America, but it is less tender than our native red 

 mulberry {Morus rubra), and hence has been replaced by 

 the latter, especially in the north. The Black Persian 

 variety of the Southern States and California belongs to 

 this species. 



Uses. — Over central and eastern Asia the black mulberry 

 is a common and rather valuable fruit, and large quantities 

 are dried. The wood is used like that of the white mulberry. 

 The juice of the ripe fruit has medicinal value. The friiit of 

 all mulberries is relished by hogs and poultry, and it is the 

 practice in some localities to plant mulberry trees along 

 fences enclosing pastures or poultry yards. 

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