MULBERRY TREE. 



MORUS. 



URTIC^. MONCECIA TETKANDRIA. 



The derivation of the word Morus is uncertain : some derive it 

 from Mora, a delay, or impediment, the tree putting forth its 

 leaves very late in the season ; but it is more commonly derived 

 from the Greek ; — as referring to the redness of its juice, the black- 

 ness of its fruit, or, which is rather an odd notion, from a Greek 

 word, signifying foolish ; — by a kind of contradiction ; the Mul- 

 berry being reputed the wisest of trees in not budding till the 

 severe weather has entirely gone by : hence Pliny gives it the 

 epithet sapientissima. After all these ingenious surmises, it seems 

 the name may, with at least equal propriety, be derived from the 

 Greek name for the tree itself. What character the Greeks in- 

 tended to express by that name must be decided by the learned. 



French, murier ; Italion, moro. 



There are five species of the Mulberry-tree suf- 

 ficiently hardy to bear our climate without protection ; 

 yet, notwithstanding their great beauty and utility, and 

 the pains that have been taken to promote their cultiva- 

 tion in this country, they are rarely seen among us. 



The White Mulberry, Morus alba^ a native of China, 

 Cochin-china, Japan, and Persia, was cultivated by Ge- 

 rarde in 1596. 



This species is cultivated for its leaves only, for the 

 purpose of feeding silk-worms. It is in leaf a fortnight 

 earlier than the next species. 



The Common, or Black Mulberry, Morus Nigra, is a 

 larger and stronger tree than the former, and is much 



