74 Bulletin 145 



PURPLE OSIER WILLOW. SuHx purpurea L. 



This is one of the favorite basket willows of the old world. 

 It is not a native of America but was widely introduced in the 

 eastern colonies by the early settlers. In this way it was 

 established throughout Vermont and it has since persisted and 

 spread in moist soil along water-courses. It is also sometimes 

 planted for ornament. It may be recognized by its long slender 

 purplish-green branches and its narrow smooth dark green 

 leaves which have a blue cast above as seen in mass and are 

 somewhat glaucous or whitish beneath. Upon drying the leaves 

 and young twigs turn purplish black which probably suggested 

 the name of the species. Willows of fine quality for basket 

 making can be grown in Vermont and doubtless there will 

 sometime be a revival of attention to this industry. Its de- 

 velopment is primarily dependent upon local labor conditions 

 since basket making as a winter occupation must, as a rule be 

 combined with some summer industry. At Syracuse,. N, Y., it 

 is so associated with the salt works. 



THE LESS COMMON VERMONT WILLOWS 



In addition to these six common shrubby willows there are 

 nine or ten others, all rare. These will merely be listed with brief 

 statement as to occurrence. For descriptions, reference may 

 be made to botanical texts. It will be noted that three of these 

 are mountain species, that two grow in cold bogs, and that four 

 are found on shore regions. 



BALSAM WILLOW. S. halsamifera Barratt. A northern 

 species known only at Mt. Mansfield, Elmore Mountain and 

 Long Pond in Westmore. 



TEA-LEAVED WILLOW. S. phjlicifolia L. An alpine species, 

 moist ravines^ summit Mt. Mansfield. 



BEAR-BERRY WILLOW. S. Uva-ursi Pursh. Prostrate on 

 bleakest portions of summit, Mt. Mansfield. 



BOG WILLOW. S. pediciUaris Pursh. Occasional in peat 

 bogs of the Champlain valley. 



