VARIETIES OF WILLOWS 47 



" Dark Dicks," another of the same variety, grows 

 longer than either of the above and upright; it is 

 used for staking and also for skeins. Shoots, 2 ft. to 

 6 ft. This variety does best in a very hot season, and 

 is capable of yielding a second-quality white. Soil 

 conditions as for " Red Buds." Plant 1 6 in. by 1 6 in. 



" Pyramidalis " is a tall, slender rod, sent to me 

 from Germany as one of their best, and classed by 

 a German botanist as purpurea a doubtful classifi- 

 cation, since it makes a good-colour white, which no 

 English purpurea will do. Shoots, 5 ft. to 8 ft. Plant 

 20 in. by 20 in. 



" Brittany Green," a beautifully slender rod of 

 great length for its substance, was brought by me 

 from France and planted at Loughborough in the 

 spring of 1911, on a rather dry, rich loam, or marl soil, 

 18 in. by 18 in. In spite of the severe drought of 1911, 

 it wholly escaped the blight, from which so many 

 suffered, and at the end of July had made a satisfactory 

 and healthy growth. In France it is regarded as a 

 good rod. Shoots, 3 ft. 6 in. to 6 ft. 6 in. 



SALIX PENTANDRA 



The three following sorts, viz. " Lumley," " Patent 

 Lumley," and " American Green," were sent to me 

 by the U.S.A. Forestry Department in March 1910, 

 and are stated to be the best suited to trans- 

 atlantic climatic conditions. They gave in 1911 a 

 growth of 4 ft. to 6 ft. under a very dry and trying 

 season, and escaped the green fly, with which the 

 adjoining varieties were badly troubled, owing to 

 drought. They are good croppers but of third-rate 

 quality when peeled white. 



