6 
leaves, and then used for feeding the worms, and the trees are then 
pruned in the usual way. 
The system of grafting mulberry trees has been adopted only 
since the 17lh century. Grafted trees are nothing else but the 
wild mulberries grown from seed that has been cultivated with 
care and perseverance, and brought to the production of superior 
leaves, and are now made use of for propagating by graftiug on to 
trees raised from seed so as to obtain the same superior mulberries. 
Mulberries have been known to exist since 2600 years B.c. The 
wife of the Emperor of China, Hoang-Ti, was the fir=t to introduce 
the silk industry. In the year 530 A.c. it was introduced into 
Europe. 
Pruning. 
Mulberry trees require to he pruned every two years. The 
trees arc trained up to the height of about seven feet, and no 
branches are to be left growing on the stalk except from the intend¬ 
ed height, where three or four branches are left—that is. out of the 
new shoots grown from the cutting of the stalk done ou the previous 
season. These three or four brauehes are pruned, leaving three or 
four buds on each of them, and so year by year increasing the 
branches and farming a large tree. The centre of the tree is pruned 
in a manner so as to make it hollow, to leave room for a person to 
stand iu it with a sack to gather in the leaves from all the branches. 
With proper pruniug, the trees will grow vigorously and will pro¬ 
duce a larger quantity of leaves ot superior quality, and render its 
stripping easier, besides making a nice-looking tree. Mulbeiries 
for hedges are pruned every year by trimming the tops and sides of 
the trees : the clippings are then taken home and the leaves picked 
off in tho usual way. It is calculated that the wood obtained from 
pruning will compensate the expense in using it for firewood. 
Collecting and Preparing the Leaves. 
Mulberry leaves are usually collected iu the morning and evening. 
The morning is preferable. As soon as the leaves are brought 
home, no time should he lost in spreading them oat in a dry, cool 
place, where they are assorted. AH tender leaves, such as the tips 
of young shoots, which are very unwholesome for worms’ food at 
any stage, also all dry leaves, and any kind of dirt must be care¬ 
fully picked out. If the leaves be transported from a distance, care 
must he taken to send them with as quick dispatch as passible, fora 
long delay will cause the leaves to ferment. It is advisable to 
always keep a good supply of leaves on the premises, in case of 
rainy weather, especially after the third stage. Good leaves, such 
as the rose-leaf grafted, will keep in a good condition for several 
days. Sometimes they are kept as long as a week, and still be in a 
fair condition to feed the worms. 
In Europe the mulberry trees are stripped of their leaves when 
five years old, and only once a year—and some persons strip only 
once every two years ; but in the Australian colonies I believe that 
the mulberries can bs utilized when three or four years old, because 
they grow quicker than in Europe. Some Italians who have started 
silk-culture in New South Wales, iu a place called the Little Italian 
