1464 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 
closet into the anteroom, and thence into the garden. Where they sank 
into the ground, there sprang up two trees, the weeping willow, and the 
frankincense tree: the first weeps and mourns, and the second is incessantly 
shedding big tears, in memory of the sincere repentance of David.” (Lan- 
guage of Flowers, p. 39.) The branches of one of the weeping willows on 
the banks of the Euphrates are said to have caught the crown from the head 
of Alexander the Great, when he passed under the tree in a boat on that 
par a circumstance which made the Babylonish diviners predict his early 
eath. 
Soil and Situation. Almost all the willows are found naturally either in a 
cold soil and moist climate, or, if in a sandy soil, within reach of water. The 
low-growing kinds are sometimes, however, found in dry arid soils; but in 
such soils they are never in a thriving state. Willows are very seldom found 
growing on moist peat bogs; the only species observed in such situations 
by Steele being the S. caprea and the S. pentandra, and these only sparingly 
in peat bog that was dry. (See Steele’s History of Peat Moss,p.4.) This 
author tried the S. Alba, S. fragilis, S. viminalis, and, in general, all the largest 
and best willows, in every possible way, in peat soils; and states that he is 
“ satisfied that they will not grow there, even on the sides of moss (peat bog) 
ditches.” (Steele in Gard. Mag., vol. iil. p. 256.) It will be recollected that 
the moss here spoken of consists entirely of peat, without any admixture of 
earthy matter; and is totally different from the heath mould, which, in the 
neighbourhood of London, is often improperly called peat. It is observed by 
Desfontaines, that willows, taken from the Alps, and planted in gardens, so 
completely change their character and general aspect, as not to be recog- 
nisable for the same species. Narrow leaves become broad ; those which are 
shaggy and woolly, often smooth and shining; and plants only 1 ft. or 2 ft. high 
attain the height of two or three yards. It has also been observed, that the 
wood of willows, whether that of the trunks and branches, or of the young 
shoots, is smaller, harder, tougher, and more compact and durable, than that 
of willows grown in rich moist soils. In dry soils, also, the growth of the 
plant is much slower than in moist ones. From these data, it may reason- 
ably be deduced, that, when the object of growing willows is to preserve the 
forms which they have in their natural habitats, these habitats should be imi- 
tated as much as possible; and that, on the contrary, when the object is to 
ascertain what are species, and what only varieties, the soil and situation 
should be uniform for all the sorts, of a richer quality, and of a description 
more favourable for rapid growth, than what occurs to the average number of 
sorts in a state of nature. Where bulky produce, either in timber, branches, 
rods, or twigs, is the object, the soil ought to be good, and the situation and 
other circumstances favourable to rapid growth. The best situation, when 
the object is free and rapid growth, is on the sides of rivers and brooks which 
pass through a level country. In such situations, the timber-producing kinds 
attain a larger size than in any other; and larger hoops and basket-rods are 
there also produced: but both kinds of produce may also be obtained in dry 
upland soils, that are deep and free ; and the wood from such soils will be of 
a finer grain, and the hoops and basket-rods smaller and tougher, than when 
the growth has been impelled by an extraordinary supply of water. The best 
tree willow for thriving in dry uplands is the S. alba; and the best basket 
willow is the grey or brindled willow, first recommended by Phillips of Ely, 
under that name. 
Propagation. All the willows are propagated by cuttings ; though some of 
the more rare alpine kinds root with difficulty. Some species propagate very 
readily from seeds; and there can be little doubt that grafting, and other 
similar modes of propagation, would be as successful in this genus as in most 
others. The cuttings for plants which are to be grown in nurseries previously 
to their removal to their final situation may be made of one-year-old wood, 
about 1 ft. in length, cut straight across at the lower end, and sloping at 
the upper end, They may be about 1ft. in length, 9 in. of which should 
