xni 



THE MULBBRET 



The mulberry tree is familiar in many farm- 

 yards and in village gardens, from western New 

 England southward and westward. Indeed, 

 Lounsberry says, "A homely barnyard scene, 

 where chickens and pigs rove about at will and 

 a lordly turkey gobbler exercises a surveillance 

 over all, is hardly complete without the shade of 

 a red mulberry tree. No doubt it has been 

 planted there by the farmer or his predecessor, 

 who knew that its juicy fruit would fatten his 

 hogs and nourish well his poultry. The flavor 

 Is a trifle insipid, but these animals are not over 

 discriminating, and root and scratch under the 

 tree when the berries are falling until the 

 ground is often stained to the same deep, blood 

 hue."i 



The white mulberry is similar to the red spe- 

 cies, save that it is smaller in stature and bears 

 fruit that is white, or in some instances slightly 

 tinted with pink. The leaves, too, differ from 

 the red mulberry, being smooth and shiny on 



i A Guide to the Trees. 



213 



