425 
It is an observation of Linneus's, that the nodding spike of flowers fol¬ 
lows the course of the sun, even when the sky is covered; pointing towards 
the east in the morning, to the south at noon, westward in the afternoon, 
and to the north at night. 
Cattle do not eat this plant, except that sheep sometimes crop it. Dyers 
make considerable use of it; for it affords a most beautiful yellow dye for 
cotton, woollen, mohair, silk and linen. Blue cloths are dipped in a decoction 
of it, in order to become green. The yellow colour of the paint called Dutch 
Pink is obtained from this plant. The entire plant, when it is about flower¬ 
ing, is pulled up for the use of the dyers, who employ it both fresh and 
dried. 
From actual experiment Mr. Marshall is of opinion, that Weld may be 
raised with considerable profit in Norfolk; especially during the time of 
war, when it is extremely dear. But he is also clearly of opinion, that it 
can never be for the interest of landlords to encourage the culture of this 
plant, without some rigid restrictions in their leases, to prevent tenants from 
carrying off such a large quantity of vegetable matter, without laying on a 
proper quantity of manure, as in the usual covenants relative to hay and 
straw: for it is not the corn only, but the straw likewise, that may be said 
to be carried off in the shape of Weld; perhaps to the amount of a ton 
or upwards on each acre.* 
Morus (Mulberry). There are two kinds, the White and Black, that 
are cultivated for the sake of the silkworm: but it is the White Mulberry 
which is commonly cultivated for its leaves to feed silk-worms in France, 
Italy, Skc. In Spain, as the Rev. Mr. Townsend informs us,f they prefer 
the White Mulberry in Valencia, and the Black in Granada. The Persians 
generally make use of the latter, and Mr. Miller was assured by a gentle¬ 
man who had made trial of both sorts of leaves, that the worms fed with 
the Black Mulberry produced much the best silk; but that the leaves of the 
black should never be given to the worms after they have eaten for some 
time of the white, lest they should burst. 
Sir George Staunton says that the trees he observed in China did not 
appear to differ from the common Mulberry-trees of Europe; that some of 
them were said to bear white, and some red or black fruit, but that often 
* Rural Econ. of Norfolk, Vol. 11. 20. 
5 P 
■f Travels, Yol. III. 204. 
