THE CULTIVATION OF BASKET WILLOWS 15 



by sparing the hoe is more than lost when the crop is 

 to be used for white or buff peeling, because the 

 grasses have then to be sorted out by hand a tedious 

 and cold operation at that period and involving tying 

 up twice. The net result would be a saving of i 

 in the summer, and an expenditure of i 55. in the 

 winter. 



In the case of maiden crops, hoeing right up to 

 August i is resorted to, in order to maintain the 

 surface of the soil in a loose condition. If this is 

 allowed to bake or crack, many heads will be found 

 dead the following spring, and the grower will be 

 fortunate if failure to keep the top soil open does not 

 render the crop subject/ to disease. It should be re- 

 membered that a heavy strain is imposed on the plants, 

 which are endeavouring to develop simultaneously a 

 shoot growth above ground, and a root growth below. 

 For lack of sufficient hoeing during the first year many 

 acres may be destroyed by green fly and honey dew, 

 especially if the spring proves to be a dry one ; and 

 this not only results in a y ear's loss of growth, but also 

 necessitates planting again the following season. In 

 the case of older heads the hoeing ought not to be dis- 

 continued so long as the men can move freely in the 

 crop, generally up to the middle of June. By that 

 time the willows begin to make such rapid growth 

 that they smother all the undergrowth, and only 

 in the outside rows will any further attention be 

 required. 



Several methods are adopted for keeping the land 

 clean. One found most suitable in Leicestershire is 

 the employment of a three-tined horse-hoe with an 

 arrow-head shaped blade on the front and two L-shaped 

 blades behind. This can only be used if great care is 



