250 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



some of the former year's wood. Unless the cuttings have to the heart a high degree of viral 

 energy, the life of the centre fails, and the plant becomes rotten at the heart; and although 

 it does not soon die, it gives but imperfect shoots, whereas the one that is full of vital energy 

 makes a plant in every respect as good as a seedling. 



Willow-growing is destined to become a business of impdrtance, or rather is now becoming 

 so ; and those who early engage in it judiciously will receive the reward. I have just learned 

 that Dr. Grant is so well pleased with it, that he is preparing to plant another field of twenty 

 acres next season. That would generally be thought too much for a new beginner, and in 

 most cases rightly so ; but one-tenth of that quantity would be little enough for a beginning, 

 and would be too little, unless you have, of suitable land, (or mean to have,) enough to extend 

 it considerably. Those who make a large business of it will get the best percentage. A 

 few words on the soil suitable for willow. It cannot be profitably grown in a swamp; but a 

 swamp thoroughly drained and cultivated is no longer a swamp. On such, willow will grow 

 most luxuriantly, and so will red clover ; but the upheaval of winter frost will throw out the 

 clover and kill it, but will not injure the willow. It must, for its roots, have at least a foot 

 of soil that is not constantly sodden with water and far better if you get two feet. Then 

 the vigor will be astonishing to those who have not seen it ; and to get shoots averaging eight 

 feet is easily practicable, and is quite profitable. I will relate a case that came under my own 

 observation. A field that had been cultivated the previous year (on a portion of it, although 

 the season was very dry, the crop had been lost by too much wetness) was plowed, trench- 

 plowed, and subsoiled ; that is, one plow followed another in the same furrow, besides the 

 subsoil plow, making three. It was commenced early, and found to be very muddy work, 

 and half of it left until after corn-planting, bringing it to the last of May, and some of it was 

 not planted until the early part of June. The cuttings had been provided in the winter, and 

 deeply covered with litter in a cool place ; but before the last of planting, some of them had 

 thrown out shoots of considerable length. Drought of unexampled severity followed, (1852.) 

 Apprehension was entertained of entire failure ; yet where the ground was deeply worked no 

 failure occurred, but a little not deeply worked was an entire failure. The deep working so 

 obviated the wetness, that the past wet season caused but little injury. The early-planted 

 are still somewhat the best, but on any part the crop is quite satisfactory. Correspondence 

 N. Y. Country Gentleman. 



New Sources of Vegetable Oils. 



A VERY large white pea is grown near Shanghae, in China, from which oil is extracted for 

 burning. After the oil is expressed, the refuse is used for manure and for feeding cattle 

 and swine. So extensively is this article used, that from Shanghae alone ten million dollars' 

 worth is yearly distributed over China. This leguminous plant is called Teuss. There is 

 another Chinese production, called tea-oil, said to be produced from the seeds of species of 

 the two genera Thea and Camellia, which oil is nearly unknown in Europe. When fresh, it 

 is quite free of smell, of a pale yellow tint, and devoid of sediment. It resists a cold of 40 

 Fahr., and its density is -927. It burns with a remarkably clear white flame. This oil 

 might prove an important article of commerce in the East, because in its properties it is 

 superior to cocoanut-oil and the various other oils used for burning or as oleaginous condi- 

 ments in Asiatic countries. 



From the leaves of the Australian Eucalypti an oil can be procured of equal utility to the 

 cajeput-oil of the East. The sandarac exuding from the calitris or pine-tree, the balsamic 

 resin of the grass-trees, and, moreover, the eucalyptus gum, which could be gathered in 

 boundless quantities in Australia, and which for its astringent qualities might supersede the 

 use of kino or catechu, will, probably, at a future period, form articles of import. Journal 

 of the Society of Arts. 



Vegetable Oils in the Amazon and Rio Negro Districts. 



SPRUCE remarks that vegetables yielding oils abound in the Rio Negro district. Nearly 

 all the palm-fruits yield oil; but the bright vermilion fruit of Elais melanococca, or Carani 



