MTSOBB AND OOOEG. 269 



colours. The tree was established in the Lal-Bagh 

 in 1881, since which it haS flourished in growth and 

 increased rapidly. But as paper mills depend chiefly 

 on rags, straw, and grasses for their raw material, 

 it is doubtful whether trees of this class could be 

 profitably cultivated for the manufacture of 

 paper. 



Cultivation.— Cuttings of all sizes take root 

 without much effort, only requiring to be kept in a 

 moist situation for a few weeks. G-rown in moist 

 but porous land, the paper mulberry quickly attains a 

 height of 20 — 30 feet and is rather ornamental. 

 For exclusive culture, plant at 10 feet apart. 



536 Morus indica, Linn. Kan. Reshme or Kambali 



gida- 



Fig— Wight Ic. t. 674. 



'Reference^.— Brandts For. FL 408; Diet, of 

 Econ. Prod, of Ind. 



The Indian or silk-worm mulberry. Usually seen 

 as a shrub in cultivation, but under exceptional 

 conditions attaining to a small tree. Leaves ovate, 

 acuminate, sharply serrate, shining ; in matured 

 specimens,lobedand scaberulous. Fruit red. Largely 

 cultivated in the Closepet and Channapatna Taluks 

 to feed the silkworm. The species M. alba, Linn. 

 M. atropurpurea, Eoxb. and M. nigra, Linn, are cul- 

 tivated occasionally in gardens for their fruit. The 

 first named is also cultivated in the silk industry, 

 although not to the same extent as M. indica, in 

 Mysore. Mulberry leaves afford the best food for 

 the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx Mori. The 

 fruit borne by most of the species is much prized in 

 the south of Europe and in the extreme north of 

 India, Cashmere, and Afghanistan, but it is not 

 so much esteemed in tropical India where the cU- 

 mate is less favourable and the mode of cultivation 

 inferior. The arborescent species have fine strong 



