258 BOTANY OF CROP PLANTS 



MORUS RUBRA (Red Mulberry) 



Description. — This is the largest of the mulberry trees, 

 reaching a height of 60 feet and a diameter of 5 to 7 feet. 

 The twigs are slender, dark green, with a reddish tinge, but 

 finally become dark brown. The leaves are large, those on 

 young shoots deeply lobed, and with oblique and rounded 

 sinuses, in the bases of which there are no teeth; they are 

 rounded or heart-shaped at the base, singly or doubly toothed 

 or three-lobed, and with a rough upper surface and a soft 

 lower surface. The staminate inflorescences are slender and 

 cylindric. The pistillate inflorescences are much shorter than 

 the staminate ones. The fruit is bright red, becoming nearly 

 black, sweet and juicy, and about i centimeter long. 



Geographical. — The red mulberry is a native of North America. It 

 grows from Massachusetts to southern Ontario, Michigan, and southeastern 

 Nebraska, eastern Kansas and southward to Florida and Texas. It is most 

 abundant and reaches its largest size in the Central States. 



Varieties and Uses. — There are a number of varieties of 

 the red mulberry, all of which are more hardy than those of 

 the black mulberry. The principal horticultural varieties 

 are Hicks, Johnson and Stubbs. The wood is used for posts 

 and fencing, but finds its greatest usefulness in the making of 

 shoe lasts, churns and cooperage material. 



HDMTJLUS (Hop) 

 HOMULUS LUPULUS (Common Hop) 



Root. — The root system of the common hop plant is large 

 as compared with above ground parts. This holds true in 

 both young and old plants. The roots extend to consider- 

 able depths in the soil and also spread horizontally in the sur- 

 face layers. They give rise to a fine network of small rootlets. 

 Older roots become covered with a reddish-brown bark. 



