THE NEW FORESTRY. 



with a layer of black mould produced by the dead foliage. 

 Top-dressing with manure is not objectionable, but in pro- 

 ducing slender wands no manure is applied. The crop is 

 cut during winter months, and in cutting care is taken to cut 

 close to the stools to keep these near the ground. The 

 sorting, preparing, and peeling of the osiers for the market 

 and for various purposes is a business that can only be 

 properly learned on the spot, and those who contemplate 

 osier culture should seek information on this subject from 

 experienced osier growers when the crop is being cut and 

 stored. The varieties of willow in cultivation for osiers are 

 not numerous, and they are the same now as they were half- 

 a-century ago or more ; strength, slenderness, and toughness 

 being the qualities most desired, and in which respect varieties 

 differ considerably. We take the liberty to add the following 

 notes from the "Gardener's Chronicle" of November igth, 

 1898, on this subject: 



" Species. There are two species of osier here 



" (i.) Salix viminalis (common osier). The leaves are 

 elongated, the bark grey. This species does well for coarse 

 wicker-work, and is the more prolific of the two. 



" (2.) Salix purpurea (Spanish osier). The leaves some- 

 what resemble those of the peach, and easily distinguish 

 it from the common osier. The bark is reddish-purple. 

 This species is better adapted for fine wicker-work. 



" Dangers to which the crop is exposed. Insects consti- 

 tute the chief danger. A destructive leaf-roller Earias 

 hlorana is found, which often eats into the centre of the 

 leading shoots, and destroys the growth of the willows. 



" Yield. The slips are planted 2% feet by 2^ feet apart, 



so that we get 5- = 6969 (say 7000) stools in an acre. 



^"o" ^ ^~% 



If the stools give an average of ten wands apiece, we shall get 

 70,000 wands per acre. In France they are often grown much 

 closer than this. These shoots or wands are tied up in 

 bundles called " bolts." Each bolt contains about one hundred 

 wands, and is worth 2s. This gives us about 70 gross 

 return per acre. 



" This cultivating of osier coppice is a good, sensible way 

 of utilising what would otherwise be practically useless ground, 

 and is certainly to be recommended." 



