YELLOW WOOD. 127 
is very strong, tough, compact, and durable. Its chief 
use is for posts, fences, and rural buildings. Its fruit, 
too, is esteemed a delicacy by many. It is a handsome, 
ornamental tree, and is usually covered by myriads of 
birds that come to feast on the berries. To obtain the 
seed the berries should be taken when fully ripe and 
washed, the seed that falls to the bottom only being 
used; these should be laid by until spring, and then 
lightly covered with mould. The first year the young 
trees will grow to the height of from twelve to fifteen 
inches. Its fruit is very much increased in size by culti- 
vation, but the birds generally save all trouble as to pick- 
ing by being beforehand, and obtaining the best that is 
to be had. 
THE BLACK MULBERRY. 
This tree, though a native of Europe, is found in a 
wild state in this country. It is not nearly as large as 
the red mulberry, and is of much slower growth. Its 
wood is not of any value, but its fruit is from two to 
three times as large as the red mulberry. This tree 
grows to the height of from twenty to thirty feet. Its 
leaves are broad, rough, and heart-shaped at the base. 
On account of its comparative slowness in putting forth 
its leaves the mulberry was dedicated by the Greeks to 
Minerva, the goddess of war. When perfectly dry the 
wood of the black mulberry weighs only about forty 
pounds to the cubic foot. As it increases in age it in- 
creases in fruit, so that an old tree will produce not only 
more but better fruit than a young one. 
THE WHITE MULBERRY. 
The leaves of this tree are its main distinguishing 
mark, being about eight inches long and about six inches 
broad, and heart-shaped. The tree grows to a height of 
from thirty to forty feet. It is only found in a real- 
ly wild state in China, but exists in a semi-wild state 
widely scattered over Europe and Asia, and is found 
