of the Northern Forest 61 



we plant in woodland, wet or marshy places, or beside 

 pools in parks, or by the side of streams, everywhere 

 it helps us with good effect. The very opposite of the 

 Oak in its elegance, lightness, and colour, where the 

 tree grows well by rivers or lakes, tall trees of it may 

 often be seen 80 feet high and from 12 to 15 feet girth. 

 Where distinct effects are sought from a plantation it is 

 necessary to keep off browsing animals. I was once 

 proud of putting 1,800 Willows beside the sources of 

 the upper Medway, but I did not count with cows, 

 rabbits, and water-rats, and I do not think that more 

 than three of the trees survive. 



If any thought of artistic planting, in the best sense 

 of what is right and natural, ever enters the mind of 

 men instead of the muddle mixtures of our day, the 

 White Willow will take a high place, for no ' Olive 

 Silvery Sirmio ' has a more beautiful effect on marsh, 

 river bank, or rich bottom land. 



The great facility in propagation of the Willow, which 

 every grower takes advantage of, is against the tree and 

 is the cause of some writers describing it as short-lived. 

 Naturally, if we increase the tree from shoots we cannot 

 expect the same endurance and stature that we do from 

 seedling trees. Nature did not make the flower seed 

 vessels for nothing, and as the seed is plentiful we ought 

 always to raise the trees in that way. 



Apart from its beauty, there are few trees (a fact which 

 is not generally known or they would be more often 

 planted) that are so valuable for their wood, sound trees 

 being precious for making cricket-bats. Large and well- 

 grown trees are more valuable than Oak and more 

 difficult to procure. The wood is very tough, easy to 

 work, denting and not splitting when struck, and the 



