MULBERRY. Morns. The red mulberry, Moms rubra, is the only native species of the mulberry in the United States. The black mul berry of Europe is occasionally cultivated for its fruit. The whim mulberry, M. alba, is culti vated in silk growing regions for feeding silk worms, and the paper mulberry, Broussonetict papyrifera, is grown sparingly as a shade tree. Our native mulberry delights in rich, moist, bottom lands, where we have seen it, in Illinois, two feet through. Usually the tree is only of moderate size. The timber is most lasting and valuable, almost rivaling-live oak in durability. As a shade tree and for ornamental planting the native mulberry is not desirable, except in extensive grounds. Grown singly, it is a spread ing tree. It is liable to the attacks of but few insects, the wood is valuable for turning and carving, and the bark is sometimes used in the place of cordage, after having been first steeped in water to separate the fibers. The bark of the root is reported to be a cathartic and vermifuge. The mulberry is propagated either by seeds or from cuttings; the cuttings grow easily, and where a given variety is wanted, cuttings must be resorted to, since plants do not come true from seed. There are a number of sub-varieties
in cultivation, bearing superior fruit. The fruit, however, is not held in much estimation, except by children, and if it were, it is entirely too soft for shipping. An exception, however, should he made in respect to Downing's everbearing mulberry; a cut of leaves and fruit, which we give, natural size, on page 54. The fruit is one to one and a half inches in length and from one half to five-eighths of an inch in diameter, and under high cultivation will exceed this size. Color, purplish black, and of a rich sub-acid taste. The tree is hardy, vigorous and comes into bearing the third or fourth year after removal from the nursery, the fruit growing larger as the tree acquires age. The tree is ele gant in itself, and seems quite worthy its dis tinguished originator, Mr. Charles Downing, of Newburg, N. Y. It is now thirty-six years since it was first originated.