North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lucky Pittman" <lpittman@murraystate.edu>]

My latest mulberry rooting endeavor - mid-late April, I collected cuttings
from a M.rubra in east-central AL - yeah, I know, it might have worked
better, taken later in the season, but I was in the area - and may not be
back again at the right time. Some cuttings were green - current year's
growth, some with and some without a 'heel' of the previous year's growth,
and some cuttings of last year's growth.  All but the top 2 or 3 leaves were
removed, and those were reduced by half.  Basal ends dipped in rooting
hormone powder and stuck in a 50/50 mix of peat and sand, and placed in a
spot that gets indirect sunlight.  
Probably should have fitted the pots with a humidity chamber(plastic bag),
but I didn't

Out of probably 35 cuttings, all but 3 have lost all leaves, turned black,
and (ostensibly) have died.  Two of the three still retain a terminal green
leaf, the third is still green, but no leaves.

Waiting to see if any survive. 
I did graft and T-bud some onto actively-growing M.alba understocks - but
this one M.rubra selection has a bad track record of not surviving for more
than 3 years - don't know if it's a climatic problem, or a delayed graft
incompatibility with M.alba.

I'm going to attempt rooting 'truncheons' of M.rubra, Illinois Everbearing,
and Osage Orange(Maclura pomifera) - using the technique outlined at pg. 15
of the document linked below:
http://www.rootsofpeace.org/assets/Vegetative%20Propagation%20Techniques.pdf

Lucky