o 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &e. i 69 



leaves, to feed filk-worms*; though it is faid that the Per- 

 fians generally ufe the Common Black Mulberry for that 

 purpofe ; and this latter is the only fort raifed for the fake of 

 its fruit, which is very wholefome. 



3. The Red or Virginian Mulberry-tree, which grows to a 

 considerable height, and bears reddilh. berries. 



The two laft are cultivated, in this country, only for the 

 fake of variety. 



Mulberries are raifed from feed, or propagated from cuttings 

 and layers. 



Thofe raifed from feed have frequently male flowers, and 

 produce no fruit ; thefe, therefore, fhould never be made 

 choice of for fruit-bearing trees, unlefs they have been feen 

 to bear in the nurfery. 



The belt bearing branches of old trees are to be chofen for 

 cuttings and layers ; for fome branches of thefe trees produce 

 only katkins, and trees raifed from them will never produce 

 fruit. If they are to be raifed from layers, they will generally 

 take root fufficiently the firft year to bear feparating from the 

 parent tree, and fhould then be planted in a nurfery, and 

 trained up with fmgle Items. In four years they will be fit to 

 plant out where they are to remain. They fhould be planted 

 at a proper diftance to admit the fun and air, as the fruit, 

 when the trees are too clofe, is very apt to turn mouldy ; they 

 fhould alfo be fheltered from the Eaft, North, and Weft 

 winds. 



But the befl way of raifmg Mulberries is from cuttings of 

 the former year's fhoots, having one joint of the two years* 



* This tree poffefles the peculiar property of breeding no vermin, either while 

 -growing or when cut down ; neither does it harbour any caterpillar,, the filk-worm ex- 

 cepted. Evelyn's Sylvaj |>y Hunter,, Vol, II. p. 40. * 



Z wood, 



