CHAP. C.

f/RTICA'CEA:. A/o'ltUS.

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merce is once free, it will far exceed its former extent. In Australia , theculture of silk has been commenced, and it appears likely to succeed in thatfine climate ; but very little, as yet, can be said on the subject with certainty,One great object that we have had in view, in giving this article at such length,is, the promotion of silk culture in that interesting part of the world.

Properties and Uses. The bark, and more especially the leaves, of the whitemulberry abound in a milky juice, which is found to have more or less of theproperties of caoutchouc, according to the climate in which the tree is grown.It is thought by many to be owing to this property in the leaves of the mul-berry that the cocoons of the silkworm have so much more tenacity of fibrethan those of any other insect that feeds on the leaves of trees. Hence, also,the silk, like the tobacco and the wine, of warm climates, and of poordry soils, is always superior to that produced in colder climates, and fromrich and moist soils. The fruit of some of the varieties, particularly of M.a. multicaulis, is used for making robs and syrups ; and is said to be remark-ably good to eat; for which reason this variety, in warm climates, might beintroduced into orchards. The bark, according to Rosier, may be convertedinto linen of the fineness of silk. “ For this purpose, the young wood is ga-thered in August, during the ascent of the second sap, and immersed for threeor four days in still water. It is then taken out, at sunset, spread on thegrass, and returned to the water at sunrise. This is daily repeated; and,finally, it is prepared, and spun like flax.” ( Amer. Silk-Grow. Guide, p. 24.)The bark is also used, like that of the lime tree, for making bast for mats.The wood weighs only 44 lb. per cubic foot: that of the branches is used forvine props, posts and rails, and fire-wood; and that of the trunk for makingwine casks, for which it is highly valued, as it is said to impart an agreeableviolet-like flavour to white wines. (Diet, des Faux et Forets, &c.) By farthe most important use of the white mulberry, however, is as food for thesilk-moth; and this subject we shall here notice under two heads; viz. thatof the management of the trees and leaves, and the management of theinsects.

Mulberry Plantations. In India and China , these are made much in thesame manner as those of the sugar-cane, and other agricultural plants. Afield is laid out into squares of 5 ft. or 6 ft. on the sides; and in the centreof each square a hollow is formed;, the soil stirred and manured; and five orsix mulberry cuttings inserted in a group in the centre. These plants arenever allowed to grow higher than 3 ft. or 4 ft.; being cut down to the groundevery year, in the same manner as a raspberry plantation. In the southof Europe , the white mulberry is grown in plantations by itself, like willowsand fruit trees ; also in hedgerows, and as hedges ; but in all cases the plantsare kept low, for the convenience of gathering the leaves without injuring thetrees ; the greatest height they are suffered to attain being that of a pollard of6 ft., which is annually lopped. In Guernsey, and the north of France , and alsom some parts of Italy , the mulberry is chiefly grown as a hedgerow pollard, oras a pollard by the road side, in the same manner as fruit trees. (See p. 886.)The leaves of the mulberry should be gathered for feeding the silkworms, whenperfectly dry, after the dew has disappeared in the morning. The personemployed to gather them strips them off upwards, and deposits them in abag kept open with a hoop, and provided with a loop and strap to pass overms shoulder. When the leaves are gathered, the trees must be stripped en-tirely of every leaf; as this is found not to injure the tree half so much as ifonly part of the leaves were taken off. In America , the operation of strippingon the leaves is often repeated a second time the same year ; but, in France and Italy , the tree is very rarely subjected to so severe a trial. When labouris sufficiently cheap, the leaves are best cut off with a pair of scissors. Afterthe first stripping, the white mulberry and all its varieties are very soon againcovered with leaves ; and, if all the leaves were removed at once, the tree doesnot appear to have been at all injured by the operation; but, if any leaves weremtt on, the tree will be found to have received a severe shock. According