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-