199 
The Orchard. 
Chap. XXIII I. 
Merus. The Mulberrie. 
T Herearetwo forts of Mulberries fufficiently known to moft, the blackilh and 
the white : but wee haue had brought vs from Virginia another fort, which is 
of greater refpedt theneytherof the other two, not onely in regard of thera- 
titie, but of the vfe, as you fhall prefently vnderftand. 
i . Morns nigra. TheblackcMulberrle. 
r Theblackc Mulberrie tree groweth oftentimes tall and great, and oftentimes a lfo 
'crooked, and fpreading abroade, rather then high; for it is fubk&to abide what forme 
you will conforme it vnto : if by fuffering it togrow.it will mount vp,and If you will 
binde it, or plafh the boughes, they will fo abide, and be carried oucr arbours, or other 
things as you will haue it. The bodie groweth in time to bee very great, couered with 
a rugged orthicke barke, the armes or branches being fmoother, whereon doegrow 
round thicke leaues pointed at the ends, and nicked about the cdges,and in feme there 
are to be feene deep gafhes, making it feeme fomewhat like the Vine leafe: the flowers 
are certaine fhort dounie catkings, whichturne into greene berries at the firft, after- 
wards red, and when they are full ripe blacke, made of manygrainesfet together, like 
vnto the blackeberrie, but longer and greater : before they arc ripe, they haue art au- 
ftere and harflitafte, but when they are full ripe, they are more fwcete and pleafant • 
the iuice whereof isfored, that it will ftaine the hands of them that handle and eate’ 
them. 
z. Morus albs. The white Mulberrie. 
The white Mulberrie tree groweth not with vs to that greatneffe or bulke of bodie 
that the blacke doth, but runneth vp higher, flendcrer, more knotty, hard and brittle, 
with thinner fpreade armes and branches : the leaues are like the former, but notfo 
thicke fet on the branches, nor fo hard in handlings little paler alfo, hauing fomewhat 
longer ftalkes : the fruit is fmaller and clofer fet together, greene, and fomewhat harfli 
before they be ripe, but of a wonderfullfweetneffe, almoft ready to procureloathing 
when th ey are thorough ripe, and white, with fuch like feede in them as in the former, 
but fmaller. 
3 . Monts Virginians. The Virginia Mulberrie. 
The Virginia Mulberry tree groweth quickcly with vs to be a very great tree,fprea- 
ding many armes and branches, whereon growfairc great leaues, very like vnto the 
leaues of the white Mulberrie tree : the berry or fruit is longer and redder then either 
of the other, and of a very pleafant tafte. 
The Vfe of Mulberries. 
_ Thegrcateft and mofl efpeciall vfe of the planting of white Mulber- 
ries, is for the feeding of Silke vvormes, for which purpofe all the Ea- 
fterne Countries, as Perfia, Syria, Armenia, Arabia &c. and alfo the hither 
part of Turkie, Spaine alfo and Italic, and many other hot Countries doc 
nouri(hthem,becaule it is beft for that purpofe, the wormes feeding there- 
on, giuing the finefl: and beftfilkc ; yet fome are confident that the leaues 
ofthe blacke will doe as much good as the white : butthat refpettmuft be 
hadtochangeyourfeede, becaufe therein lyeth the greateft myfterie. But 
there is a Booke or Traftate printed, declaring the whole vfe of whatfoeuer 
can belong vnto them : I will therefore referre them thereunto, that 
would 
