the Paradise of Plants. 8 J

CHAP. XLII.

Of the Afulberry Tree*

The Names .

T He tree is named in Greek turfd and mtg-iuvot Morea znd Sycamiuuiin Latine;.dTcr#r a Mora, from its flownesse to put forth its Leaves,for of all trees itbuddeth last, which it seldom doth before May-, thecold weather being past; and therefore the old Writers were wont t 6call it,the wisest tree. It is called in shops Morns eel fa quasi, excel fa, as a di-stinction between it and the Bramble Culms, whose Berries are also calledMora, but bad is added to know them by.

The Kinds.

Parkinson hath but three forts hereof. I. The common black Mulberry tree.2. The white Mulberry tree. ;. The Virginian Mulberry tree. Besides which, asI have been informed, there is a wild kind which putteth out leaves somewhatlike the former, and about the same time ; and hath fruit not much unlike,but it never bringeth it to perfection.^

The Vernti

The Common black Mulberry tree groweth very great and tall, the body andthe greater arms being covered with a thick rugged bark, the younger boughsandlbranches being smoother, whereon are broad roundish leaves, let pointed atthe end, and dented about the edges like Mint leaves, but that they are far big-ger and smoother. The bloomings or flowers are downy like Catkins, aftetwhich immediately followeth the fruit made of many grains, set together of a.pale green colour at first, then red when they are harsh and sowre, but afterwatdsolack when they are full ripe, being full of a sweetish Juyce, which will die thefingers and mouths of them that gather and eat them ; wherein ly divers smallfeeds: the root groweth not deep, butfpreadeth far, being of a yellowish colour*

The Places and Time.

The two formes sorts are nourished up in woods, or great Orchafds in theLevant or Eastern countries to nourish their silk Worms, where they keep themin abundance ; and miay peradventure be natural in some of these places, theyare plentiful nursed up'in Italy for the fame purpose, and might have been verynumerous here in England; if the Letters of King James to the Lords Lievte-nants of the several shires for the increasing of Mulberry trees,and the breedingof Silk worms in his Kingdom,had taken their wished effect, which they did nor,because they had not the instructions to that purpose annexed to them. Butnow the way then thought of, is revived by that industrious Common wealths-man, Samuel Nartltb Esquire, of propagating them by feed; to whose book cal-led the Reformed Virginian Silkworm, I refer you: whereas formerly there wasno way of propagating but either by flips, grafting, or inoculation, which seldomeffect. The biggest of them that ever I saw, groweth in New Colledge inVxon, i n a pi ace between the great Quadrangle and the Garden. The third asthe name importeth came from Virginia where it groweth hugely, with greatstore of great leaves, and small store of fruit, but in the season with the other

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