A CLUSTER OF BERRIES 141 



countries the peasants make both a business and a pleasure 

 of gathering cranberries in the nightless days of their 

 summer season, drying them (generally on endless strings) 

 against the darker, colder season to come. They may also 

 be preserved in clear water in jars or bottles, uncooked, 

 and cooked of course variously. 



THE MULBERRY (Moracea) 



This berry is seldom appreciated, almost never ranked 

 according to its true value as a fruit, possibly from its 

 very convenience of accessibility and manipulation. 

 Had it thorns it might be better loved. It was lopg ago 

 taken from Persia to Italy and in Europe as well as Asia 

 it has always been highly esteemed for its leaves as food 

 for silk-worms and its wood for posts. For silk-worms 

 the Moris alba (white mulberry) is chiefly known, though 

 the black mulberry is also valued for the purpose. 

 The black {Moris nigra) and the red {Moris rubra) mul- 

 berries are sources of food and drink not to be despised; 

 for these purposes, indeed, the white mulberry is not to be 

 mentioned beside them. The smaller black or red niulberry, 

 though not so acceptable just from the tree, makes, like 

 the large, black, luscious French mulberry (which is so 

 delicious uncooked), most desirable jelly, preserves, and 

 drinks. It is one of the most wholesome of berries, con- 

 taining much potash — therefore recommended for throat 

 troubles as well as for internal complaints — and is one of 

 the richest, purest, most concentrated sugar manufactories 

 among fruits, in quantity of grape sugar outranked only 

 by the grape and cherry, the grape having from 10.6 to 19; 

 the cherrry 10.79; mulberry 9.19. (U. S. Dispensatory). 

 The mulberry is laxative, its juice grateful in fevers when 

 strained from the seeds, and its tartaric acid refreshing in 

 health. 



