16 OSIERS AND WILLOWS 



exercised to prevent barking the head by striking it 

 with the hoe, thereby occasioning considerable ex- 

 haustion of the plant, and consequently a defective 

 crop. Moreover, this hoe can only be brought into 

 play for the first year or two, whilst the heads are 

 sufficiently small, and the spaces allow a pony or 

 small horse to travel between the rows. A swan- 

 necked hoe will usually be found the best tool for 

 this purpose. 



For the purpose of filling up a bed in after years, 

 it is a good plan to allocate a small portion of the 

 ground devoted to each variety for transplanting 

 purposes. When necessary take up an entire plant, 

 cutting off all the rods except two of the best grown 

 ones, and nicely and cleanly cutting back the roots; 

 place this in the space from which you have taken a 

 dead head and leave it to grow for two years, after 

 which you may cut it down, and by this means keep 

 your ground in a thoroughly healthy planted-up 

 condition. 



In Lancashire where the variety Dicky Meadows 

 is extensively grown a unique method of cultivation 

 is practised. In the early spring a double-breasted 

 ridging plough is run down the centre of the rows 

 one way; this breaks up the soil and banks it near 

 the heads of the plants, which are in this district 

 planted from 9 in. to 10 in. apart and 21 in. between 

 the rows. After the soil has assumed a nice crumbly 

 condition, a scufider is run down between the rows, 

 thus clearing the soil from the heads and levelling 

 the whole. 



The Board of Agriculture issue a leaflet (No. 112) 

 which contains useful advice on the suppression of 

 weeds. 



