RAW -SILK. 



131 



nothing but varieties, and those varieties inter- (K.) 

 nally changing, according to soil, climate, and ^"^R^ort^^* 

 mode of cultivation. It is chiefly aided by the 12 April isss. 

 labours of Dr. Roxburgh, in his valuable Flora 

 Indica," and of Dr. Hamilton, in his matchless 

 statistical surveys, that I am able to offer the fol- 

 lowing sketch of the different Indian mulberries ; 

 without, however, pretending to fix these, as yet, 

 by any specific character or description. 



1 . M or us Indica of Linnaeus, the common toot 

 of Bengal. This is a native of India, and un- 

 doubtedly a distinct species. There exist two 

 varieties, which may perhaps be different species, 

 but which it is best for practical purposes to con- 

 sider as varieties only. One of the varieties is 

 never allowed to grow large, but constantly cut 

 down to a stinted twiggy shrub, in order to induce 

 it to produce an abundant supply of tender shoots 

 and leaves. Of all the plants that yield food for 

 the silk-worm in India, this is by far the most im- 

 portant, on account of the extreme facility of its 

 cultivation, and the productiveness, luxuriance, 

 and juiciness of its leaves, which are the favourite 

 food of the worm. 



The climate of Bengal is, above all others, 

 favourable for the cultivation of this shrub, owing 

 probably to the comparative moisture both of its 

 soil and atmosphere, conditions which are pecu- 

 liarly favourable for its growth, and the absence 

 of which is probably the leading cause of the in- 

 K 2 capacity 



