SILK.: MANUFACTURE. 235 
young and healthy leaves without ‚fruit,: :For this 
reason the trees are not allowed to exceed a certain 
age and height. . They are. planted’at a convenient 
lıstance from each other, on the.plan of-a quincunX; 
and are said to be in perfection in about three years: 
The mulberry tree for silkworms is-chiefly ‚culti- 
vated in Che-keang, which province, together: with 
the only three others that produce fine silk, namely; 
Keang-nan, Hoo-pe, and Sze-chuen, is crossed by 
the thirtieth parallel of latitude. : Che-keang is a 
highly alluvial country, intersected by: numerous 
tivers and canals, with a. elimate that corresponds 
pretty nearly_ to the same latitude :in..the -United 
States of. America. "The soil is manured with mud 
which.is dug from the. rivers, assisted with ashes or 
dung; and the ‚spaces between the trees are gener- 
ally filled with ‚millet, pulse, or other articles of 
food. "The time for pruning the young trees;:so as 
to produce fine leafy shoots, 1s at the commencement 
of the year. About” four. eyes are’ left on’ every 
shoot, and :care is taken that the branches are prop- 
erly thinned, with a view to giving plenty of light 
and air to the leaves. In gathering these, they make 
use ‚of steps, or a ladder: with a prop, as the young 
trees cannot support a ladder, and would besides be 
injured in their branches by the use: of-one, The 
trees, with their foliage, are carefully watched;, and 
the mischiefs of inseets prevented by the use of va- 
applications, among which are some essentiäl 
Dis. 
The young trees of course suffer by being stripped 
9f their leaves, which are the. /ungs of plants; and 
this is an additional reason for renewing them after 
a certain: time.” They endeavour in part‘ to coun- 
teract the evil effect, by pruning and. lopping the 
lree, so as. to diminish the wood when:the leaves 
have been stripped, and it is probable that a few 
leaves are left on. . It.:is :surprising, however, to 
Dbserve how soon a tree in those climates will. re-