SEASON FOR CUTTING OSIERS. 15 



often occurs a great fatality amongst osiers, when it is 

 found necessary to replant a great many ; recently 

 formed plantations being most likely to be injured by 

 the late spring frosts. 



The usual time for cutting osiers is any time 

 between the fall of the leaf and the rising of the sap 

 in the spring, and although some people cut them 

 before and after this time, it is not considered advisable 

 to do so. 



The Common Osier (Salix viminalis] is sometimes 

 greenish, and sometimes of a yellowish brown colour, 

 according to the soil upon which it is grown. It is, 

 however, coarse, brittle, and soft, and not by any 

 means valuable to the basket-maker. There are 

 varieties, however, which are liked by those who 

 understand the working of them ; one of which, called 

 indifferently the blotched osier, the brindled osier, the 

 speckled, and the snake osier, is the best kind of this 

 variety. The next best variety of Salix viminalis, 

 is the yellow-barked osier. The velvet-topped and 

 apple-tree osier are also considered fairly good, while 

 the long-skin is of smaller growth, and the wood 

 heavier, firmer, and tougher, and is, indeed, a different 

 species. 



TJie Spaniard, or Spaniard Rod (Salix triandrd], 

 also has several varieties, some of which are of little 

 value, as the horse Spaniard, which is very inferior, 

 while the black-budded Spaniard is liked by basket- 

 makers for bottoming and finishing the rims of 

 baskets ; while the gray Spaniard and the brown 

 Spaniard come in for coarse brown baskets. 



The French, French Rod, or Real French, which 

 takes its name from having been imported from 



