410 COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION OF WILLOWS. [April 



arched rods from the wall of the house to the standards. The vine 

 left on the house was more vigorous in its growth of leafage, and 

 those pieces which were trained to the arches grew very rapidly and 

 bore a plentiful supply of grapes. 



The vine was laid and trained three years ago, and this spring, 

 finding it had made so much wood, we decided to lay a piece from 

 each standard to the lime tree arcades across the grass plot in the 

 same way as it had been done from the house to the standards. We 

 proposed to a friend whose vine is on the east side of his house, and 

 bears no grapes, to adopt a similar plan to take the vine to the 

 south side to get a crop of grapes. 



Ity Cottage, Bulstrode Pakk, Slough. 



COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION OF WILLOWS. 



IN answering an iuqiiiry, we prefer to quote the following from 

 Mr. Scaling's Highland and Agricultural Society's Prize Essay : — 



" The species of willows are very numerous, and much confusion 

 exists in their classification. There are, however, only about six 

 species, with their numerous varieties, that are of any commercial 

 value, or worth cultivating, with a view to profit. Three of those 

 species are essentially basket willows, and the other three are 

 adapted for poles and timber trees, and they differ so much in 

 character and constitution, that the treatment and soils adapted for 

 one are very unsuitable for the others. 



" The three forms or species of basket wiUows most in use are 

 Salix viviinalis, S. triandra, and S. ^^iw^jitrca, and their numerous 

 varieties, about sixty of which are in cultivation ; but at least two- 

 thirds of this number might be discarded with advantage to both 

 grower and consumer. 



" As one of the conditions of this Eeport involves a description 

 of the varieties recommended for cultivation, it must not be for- 

 gotten that the classification of the willow is not only a subject 

 of dispute, but that it is in considerable confusion ; and to enter 

 into the minute details of the controversy would be impossible, 

 within the limits of a short paper. It may therefore be considered 

 sufficient if each form is so described that there can be no mistaking 

 them. 



" Beginning with Salix viminalis, or the osier proper, the most 

 important variety under consideration : This class may be easily 

 distinguished by its long narrow leaf, widest near the base, but 

 seldom exceeding three-quarters of an inch at its widest part ; the 



