92 OSIERS AND WILLOWS 



general farm purposes. At about sixteen years they 

 might be further reduced to 1210 trees or 6 ft. apart 

 each way, which would afford ample space for their 

 further development. There is plenty of evidence to 

 show that it is not an uncommon thing for a thirty- 

 year willow tree to yield 45 ft. of measurable timber 

 or at the rate of i| cubic ft. per annum. Not, however, 

 calculating on such great results, I will further assume 

 that no trees out of the 1210 are worthless (a much 

 greater margin than would be probable) and that in 

 forty years only one-third of the above quantity, or 

 say half a foot instead of i| ft. per annum, is pro- 

 duced; we shall then have noo trees containing an 

 average of 20 cubic ft. each, or 22,000 ft. worth, at 

 the lowest computation, 2s. per it., or 2200, as the 

 produce of an acre, apart from the two thinnings out, 

 which would be more than sufficient to cover the cost 

 of labour. 



The tree willow is one of the, easiest to propagate, 

 and the following will be found a very inexpensive 

 and profitable way of securing a stock. Rooted trees 

 of two or three years' growth, if planted 4 ft. apart 

 each way, will demand 2722 to the acre. They should 

 be thinned out when six or seven years old to 12 ft. 

 apart by taking out the two centre ones. When they 

 are about twelve years old the trees may be further 

 reduced to 300 to the acre, and at about twenty years, 

 or a little more, providing the soil and conditions are 

 favourable, they should be in perfect condition and of 

 a saleable size. The thinnings out in this, as in the 

 previous estimate, should recoup the cost by the sale 

 of the poles. Or, for planting at a small cost, cuttings 

 may be employed and inserted in the ground in the 

 same manner as ordinary basket willow cuttings. 



