THE CULTIVATION OF BASKET WILLOWS 9 



Whatever system is adopted, the aim should be to 

 cultivate the soil to a depth of 9 or 10 in. so as to reduce 

 it to a loose, friable condition, free from any trouble- 

 some weeds. 



DRAINAGE 



Sufficient attention is seldom paid to the question 

 of drainage. Before planting willows on fresh land 

 it is important that a proper system of drainage should 

 be devised and carried out. If this is done, frequent 

 and heavy floodings will not be harmful to the willows. 

 Surface drainage must be accomplished by means of 

 trenches or grips, and pipe drainage is absolutely useless 

 because in a few years the pipes become choked with 

 root growths. The number and size of trenches 

 required will be determined by the character of the 

 land, and the quantity of water to be removed. 



Sewage farms are usually thrown up into beds \\ith 

 open grips on each side. Although willows grown on 

 this system have in most instances proved a complete 

 failure, this is entirely owing to the unsuitable varieties 

 which have been planted. The variety S. hippo- 

 phaifolia is the only species suitable for this intensive 

 system of culture. It has stood the test of time and 

 yields a quality equal to many rods produced under 

 ordinary conditions. For all work where a full top is 

 desirable it is probably unequalled, and will make 

 excellent white, buff or brown. 



SUPPLY OF LABOUR 



It is inadvisable to attempt willow growing exten- 

 sively where there is any scarcity of labour. No 



