OF FOREST-TREES. 



47 



pulp swims, and must be taken off carefully. This done, lay the seed to CHAP, 

 dry in the sun upon a linen cloth, for which one hour is sufficient ; then ^"^*v^ 

 fan and sift it from the husks, and reserve it till the season. This is the 

 process of curious persons ; but the sowing of ripe Mulberries themselves 

 is altogether as good ; and from the excrement of hogs, and even dogs, 

 that will frequently eat them, they will rise abundantly. Note, That in 

 sowing of the berries, it is good to squash and bruise them with fine 



It is generally observed, that the old Mulbeny-trees are not only more fruitful than the 

 young, but their fruit is much larger and better flavoured ; so that where there are any of 

 these old trees, it is the best way to propagate from them, and to make choice of those 

 branches which are most fruitful. These trees may be propagated by laying down their 

 branches, which will take root in one year, after which they should be separated from the 

 old trees ; but the best way is to propagate them by cuttings, which, if skilfully managed, 

 will generally succeed. The cuttings should be the shoots of the former year, with one 

 joint of the two years' wood to their bottom ; they should not be shortened, but planted 

 their full length, leaving two or three buds above ground. The best season for planting 

 them is in March, after the danger of hard frosts is over. They should be planted in light 

 rich earth, pressing the ground pretty close about them ; and if they are covered with 

 glasses, it will forward their putting out roots; but where there is not such conveniency, 

 the ground about them should be covered with moss to prevent its .drying ; and where this 

 is carefully done, the cuttings will require but little water. If the cuttings succeed well, 

 and make good shoots, they may be transplanted the following spring into the nursery, 

 where they should be regularly trained to stems by fixing down stakes, to which the 

 principal shoots should be fastened ; and most of the lateral branches should be closely 

 pruned off, leaving only two or three of the weakest to detain the sap, for the augmenta- 

 tion of the stem ; for when they are quite divested of their side-shoots, the sap is mounted 

 to the top, so that the heads of the trees grow too fast for the stems, and become too 

 weighty for their support. After four years growing in the nursery, they will be fit to 

 transplant where they are to remain ; for these trees are transplanted with greater safety 

 while young, than when of a large si^e. 



If the cuttings are planted in a bed, fully exposed to the sun, it will be proper to arch 

 the bed over with hoops, that they may be shaded with mats in the heat of the day dux-ing 

 the spring, till they have put out roots ; after which, the more they are exposed to the 

 sun, the better they will succeed, provided the ground be covered with moss to prevent its 

 drying ; for the sun will harden the shoots, whereby the plants will be in less danger of 

 suffering by the early frosts in autumn ; for when these are in a shady situation, they are 

 apt to grow vigorously in summer ; and, being full of moisture, the early frosts in October 

 frequently kill their tops. If the following winter prove severe, they are often killed 

 to their roots, and sometimes are entirely destroyed. Mr. Miller recommends the cuttings 

 to be planted on a hot-bed ; and he informs us that he was led to this impi-ovement by 

 observing some sticks of Mulberry-trees which were cut for forks, and thrust into a hot- 

 bed to fasten down the vines of cucimibers ; which although they had been cut from the 



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