419 



and peeled, and is suitable for many kinds of work. The longest 

 rods of a single year's growth are from 6 to 8 ft., those of two 

 years' growth being some 3 or 4 ft. longer. 



" Mawdesley's Long Skein " is another European species, Salix 

 rubra. It grows to about the same height as the last named form, 

 and is used for similar purposes, both peeled and unpeeled, the 

 rods are, however, said to be slightly harder to work. 



"Black Stemmed" or "Black Willow" is Salix daphnoides, 

 the "Violet Willow" of Europe, &c. This has not been in use 

 many years, but is thought highly of for the larger kinds of work. 

 Rods 12 ft. in length are produced in a single season, which are 

 found to be of excellent quality for farm baskets. The peculiar 

 glaucous or bluish colouring seen on growing rods is even more 

 conspicuous after the rods have been dried. My attention was 

 called to a number of potato baskets where this particular variety 

 had been used in bands with another variety, and in the distance 

 the appearance was exactly that of bands of light blue paint. 



" Tulip Willow " is a form of S. rubra. It is said to produce 

 rods of good quality, but has been discarded in favour of " Red 

 Buds " on account of its liability to produce side branches, Avhich 

 cause extra expense in preparing for use. A peculiarity of the 

 variety is the habit the rods have of dividing into double growths 

 when about half grown. 



"Ran Dan" concludes the varieties grown. It is correctly 

 Salix Smithiana var. acuminata. The rods are strong and grow 

 to a good length the first season. They are, however, usually 

 allowed to grow for three or four years, and are then used for 

 splitting to use in the bottoms and sides of strong hampers. 



In conclusion, it may be of interest to note that the willow 

 industry at Mawdesley had its origin through the chance visit of 

 a basket-maker to the neighbourhood. He noticed a patch of 

 willows growing in an out-of-the way corner of a field, and ottered 

 the farmer a price for them, which seemed more than the land 

 was worth. This led to the first idea for a willow farm. 



LII — BAGNISIA HILLII, Cheesem. 



A New Species op Burmanniaceae prom New Zealand. 



, The following note and diagnosis of a new species of Bagn^ 

 has been received from Mr. T. F. Cheeseuan, of Auckland, New 

 Zealand, for publication in the Bulletin : 



manniaceae 



*"v jjiw ffiwiwiiaceae are wry mxg^j T * . .n. A\annxrt>rv of 



tion, so that considerable interest attaches to the < ]^Zl vm 

 a species so far to the south as New Zealand. In .^ /necimen 

 Mr. H. Hill, of Napier, forwarded to the writer a »^ e f^ 1 ^ 

 of a plant found by him at Opepe, near Lake Taupo ^hich, from 

 its habit and general appearance, was at once provunowU j^*mj 

 to the family, although the condition of the specimen *as sacc 

 that positive identification was impossible. A special j 



journey 



