BOTANICAL, INDEX. 
103 
figs it is a hollow flower-stem ; in pine-apples and mulberries, clusters of fiower- 
leaves, as well as the stalks they cover, etc.” — (Gray’s How Plants Grow.) 
A careful inquiry among a large number of nurserymen fails to discover any 
good and worthy improved varieties of M. Rubra under cultivation, except one said 
to have been produced in Ohio, and distributed several years ago as the Johnson 
variety, with a large, blackish, sub-acid, mild and agreeable fruit; tree a strong 
and vigorous grower. The inquiry also fails to bring out. a sufficiert't reason for 
their scarcity, the only acceptable one being, “A sufficient quantity of fruit does not 
ripen at one time to afford a profitable picking, a single mature tree not averaging 
more than 4 quarts a day, which will not answer to the ideas of a large fruit-grower.” 
We clip from the College Quarterly, Ames, Iowa, of September, 1880, a short arti- 
cle which reads : “Of the varieties we have tried, the Downing has proven the har- 
diest and most fruitful. We have found no difficulty in growing the: fruit except 
that the birds take them as fast as fully matured. But this difficulty can be obviated 
by planting a whole row of them on the sheltered side of an orchard or timber belt. 
The Downing is derived from the Multicaulis species and propagates readily from 
cuttings put out in autumn as soon as the leaves mature. We have also grown them 
by grafting on our native red species, and by grafting in the crowns of small-sized 
osage orange plants.” But perhaps the best direction for propagating is to be' found 
in Berry’s Fruit Garden, which is as follows : “Can be propagated from cutters and 
layers, and by grafting and inarching. We usually graft on roots of the White 
Mulberry, in the house, as we do grapes — put them in pots or boxes and keep them 
under glass until they have taken well and made a few inches of growth, when they 
are planted out in the open ground.” 
The Mulberry, containing such a large quantity of Caoutchouc (Indian , -Rubber), 
makes it the special favorite for the caterpillar, of many varieties, and it often re- 
quires much attention to preserve their foliage which must be attended to promptly 
or the tree will soon be denuded of leaves, and as a necessary result the fruit will 
drop off. This is all the care the trees will require after once becoming firmly estab- 
lished. The uses to which the fruit is adapted in addition to dessert or table use, is 
for all kinds of domestic purposes such as pies, tarts, canning, for winter use, pre- 
serves, etc. “In many portions of Europe a kind of wine is also made from the fruit 
which is considered an excellent beveragte. The pure juice is also used for coloring 
and flavoring.” — (Treasury of Botany.) In early times, before the great abundance 
of fruit in the United States, the fruit was most eagerly sought for by all, both 
whites and Indians, and in the newer portion of our country, i. e. that portion which 
is sparsely settled between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, long 
journeys are still made for gathering the fruit. r 
The White Mulberry was introduced into America during the silk culture mania 
about 1750, but like many other similar speculations the project was soon abandoned 
and has only been partially revived at occasional intervals since. During one of 
these intervals, about 1825, the form, M. Alba var. Multicaulis, was introduced, and 
has proved of far more value both for its leaves, which are larger, and for its occa- 
sional fruit, which of a straw color, occasibnai.lv nearly black. Add to this the tree 
is dwarfer and with a very dense foliage, making it still more valuable lor the doubt- 
ful value of silk culture. There seems to be quite an inclination manifested in many 
parts of the country now to again embark in the enterprise, and perhaps with the 
new zeal for their culture other and more prolific varieties may be obtained. 
RED SPIDER IN VINERIES. 
Red spider may be checked in a Vinery by sulphuring the hot-water pipes when 
they are highly heated, and the temperature of the house has been raised to 80 deg. 
Mix the sulphur to the consistency of paint, close at the ventilators and apply it at 
night with a whitewasher’s brush. Wash it off the pipes the following morning, 
and ventilate before the sun strikes the roof. Repeat the sulphuring once or twice 
at intervals of two or three days. Examine the borders and see that they have not 
been kept too dry. One of the most fertile causes of red spider is dryness at the 
roots, and the best preventive is giving them abundance of liquid manure through- 
out the growing stage. It should, however, be borne in mind that a heavy drench- 
ing may do harm to the grapes now about ripe. Syringe thoroughly as the grapes 
are cut and properly cleanse the house and vines at pruning time by carefully scrub- 
bing the rods, trellis, and woodwork with strong soap and water. Wash the walls 
with quicklime, and remove every particle of loose mulching and insert soil from 
the surface of the internal borders. This done, make a solution of Gishurst com- 
pound, 8 oz. to the gallon of soft water, and apply it to the rods and spurs with a 
painter’s brush. Watch the vines closely in the spring, and should spider reappear 
sponge the young leaves with soapy water before it has time to spread.—. The Garden. 
