844 



METHOD OF CULTIVATING 



Chap. XVI. 



The variety of mulberry cultivated in this dis- 

 trict appears to be quite distinct from that which 

 is grown in the southern parts of China and in the 

 silk districts of India. Its leaves are much larger, 

 more glossy, and have more firmness and substance 

 than any other variety which has come under my 

 notice. It may be that this circumstance has 

 something to do with the superior quality of the 

 silk produced in the Hoo-chow country, and is 

 Avorthy of the notice of silk growers in other parts 

 of the world. 



This peculiar variety is not reproduced by seed, 

 and hence all the plantations are formed of grafted 

 trees. Each plant is grafted from a foot to two 

 feet above the ground, and rarely higher. The 

 trees are planted in rows from five to six feet 

 apart, and are allowed to grow from six to ten 

 feet high only, for the convenience of gathering 

 the leaves. In training them they are kept oj)en 

 in the centre ; the general outline is circular, and 

 they are not unlike some of those dwarf apple- 

 trees which are common in European gardens. 

 The accompanying sketch gives a good represen- 

 tation of the habit and form of one of those trees 

 which has attained its full size. 



The different methods of gathering the leaves 

 in these districts are curious and instructive, and 

 show clearly that the cultivators well understand 

 the laws of vegetable physiology. Leaves are not 

 taken at all from plants in their young state, as 

 this would be injurious to their future productive- 



