AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



345 



Salix continued. 



Insects. Several hundred species of insects are known 

 to feed more or less upon Willows; but only a com- 

 paratively small number are so hurtful as to require 

 notice here. Some of the latter are chiefly or wholly 

 associated with the Sallows allied to Salix Caprea. 



The trunks of Willows are very frequently tenanted 

 by larvae of Aromia, moschata (see Mn&k Beetle) and 

 of the Goat Moth (which see), and in some districts 

 the twigs of Osiers suffer much from the burrows of 

 larvae of the Clearwing Moths, Sesia formic&formis and 

 8. bembeciformis (see Sena). For the proper remedies 

 against these insects, see the headings quoted. 



Certain species of Sawflies (e.g., Cryptocampiu an- 

 gustus, C. pentandrae, Ac.), one or two Beetles (e.g., 

 Saperda populnea), and some Gall-midges (e.g. Cecidomyia 

 salicina), produce galls in the form of tapering swellings 

 on the twigs of Osiers; while other species of Gall- 

 midges (C. rosaria, Ac.) cause the leaves at the tips of 

 the twigs to become crowded into a stunted rosette. 

 These gall-makers can best be reduced in numbers by 

 cutting off the twigs while the galls are still young, and 

 the larvae too immature to survive the withering of their 

 food. 



The leaves are liable to be devoured by Cockchafers, 

 by species of Rhynchites, and, worst of all, by the 

 "Willow-leaf Beetle (see Phxatora vitellina). For an 

 account of these insects, see the above headings. In 

 some parts of the Fen districts, Osiers have been very 

 much destroyed by the last-named species, but Paris 

 green is now used with success to limit its ravages. 

 Some allied Beetles, of the group Chrysomelidce, may 

 occasionally injure Willows, but are not often sufficiently 

 numerous to require special treatment. 



The larvae of a few Butterflies, of many species of 

 Moths, and of a good many Sawflies, feed, more or less 

 exposed, on the leaves of Willows; but an enumeration 

 of the species is not needed, since their general habits 

 are much alike, and the same treatment is employed to 

 get clear of them, viz., to collect and destroy the 

 creatures, whether by hand-picking, or by shaking the 

 branches over sheets or other surfaces. 



The leaves of Willows are very liable to be thickly 

 studded with Sawfly galls, some resembling a small 

 bean in shape, imbedded in the leaf-blade singly or in 

 pairs (the work of Kematus viminalis, also known as 

 N. gallarum), or like peas in form, attached to the 

 lower surface of the leaf by one side (galls of N. galli- 

 col, Ac,). These galls often greatly disfigure the leaves, 

 but do not seriously affect the health of the plants. 

 The leaves, if necessary, should be removed, while the 

 galls are young, and allowed to wither. The same method 

 may be made use of against the smaller galls, such as 

 the fleshy tubes of Cecidomyia marginem-torquens along 

 the leaf-margins of 8. viminalis, or the warty galls of 

 various Mites on the surfaces of the leaves, especially on 

 Sallows allied to 8. Caprea. 



The species described below are hardy trees, except 

 where otherwise stated. 



S. acntifolia (acute-leaved). A synonym of & daphnoides. 

 S. alba (white).* White Willow. /., catkins appearing with 



the leaves, slender, loose, erect, the scales linear. May. J. nar- 

 rowly lanceolate, long-acuminate, 2in. to 4in. long, silky on both 



sides; glandular-serrate; petioles eglandular. Trunk 20ft in 



pr^;W fissured ;twigHilky. OOft Europe (Britain), Ac. 



(Sy.En.B.1309.) 

 S. a. cserulea (blue). L, old ones glabrous, glaucous beneath. 



Twigs olive. (Sy. En. B. 1310.) 

 S. a, Vitellina (yolk-of -egg-coloured). Golden Wfllow. /..scales 



of catkins longer than in the type. L, old ones glabrous above. 



TalgB yellow or reddish. (Sy. En. B. 1311.) 

 S. ambigna (ambiguous). A synonym of S. nigra. 

 S. babylonlca (Babylonian).* Weeping Willow JL, cittt 



nearly lin. long, sub-coaetaneous, few-leaved, very slender shortly 



curved ; scales ovate-lanceolate. May. /- narrow-lanceolate, Sin. 



to 6in. long, very long and rather obliquely acuminate, serrulated, 



VoL III 



Salix continued. 



often glaucescent beneath; stipules semi -lunar or obtuse- 

 branches often very loosely and very long-pendulous. Buds verV 

 acute, A. 30ft Levant, 1730. (B. F. F.^.) STN. S. penduS. 

 S. b. annnlaris (ringed). This form is peculiar on account of 

 the blade of the leaves being twisted back, so as to form a 

 kind of ring. 



FIG. 103. MALE CATKIN OF SALIX CAPREA. 



S. Caprea (Caprea).* Common Sallow ; Goat Willow. /., cat- 

 kins silky, preceding the leaves ; males lin. Ions verv stout 

 females Whening'to Sin. April and Ma^" l^ti^oSgl 

 ovate, or oblong - lanceolate, acute or acuminate cuspidate 

 2n. to 4in. long, dark green above, tomentose beneath, the 



FIG. 404. FEMALE CATKIN OF SALIX CAPREA. 



margins narrowly recurved. Europe (Britain). A silvery tree 

 or large shrub, the earliest-flowering of the British Willows. 

 The twigs with catkins, gathered on Palm Sunday, are called 

 Palm-branches. See Figs. 403 and 404. (Sy. En. B. 1331.) 



S. C. dnerea (wary). JL, male catkins less stout than hi the 

 type, opening later. L smaller, narrower, from elliptic-oblong 

 to oblanceolate, undulated at the margins, pubescent above. 

 Buds and twigs tomentose. S. aquatita and S. okifolia are 

 mere forms of this sub-species. 



S. C. pendula (drooping). Kilmarnock Weeping Willow. A 

 variety remarkable for the very decided pendulous character 

 of its branches. 



S. daphnoides (Daphne-like). Violet Willow. JL, catkins stout, 

 sessfleTclothed with silky hairs, appearing before the leaves ; 

 scales black-pointed. April J. narrow-oblong or linear-lanceo 

 late, very acuminate, 3in. to 6in. long, acutely serrated, with 

 persistent, glaucous bloom, shining above. Twigs violet A. 10ft 

 to 20ft Europe (naturalised in England). (B. F. F. 62 ; F. D. 

 2919.) STN. . aeuti/olia. 



S. falcate (sickle-shaped). A synonym of S. niyra faleata. 



S. firagilia (fragile). Crack Willow ; Withy. JL, catkins usually 

 spreading, stout: appearing with the leaves; males lin. to 2m. 

 long ; females deader, often longer. April and May. L lanceo- 

 late, long-acuminate, 3in. to bin. long, glabrous, glandularly 

 serrated, pale or glaucous beneath, the young ones hairy. Trunk 

 sometimes 20ft in girth ; branches spreading obliquely ; twigs 

 yellow-brown, very fragile at the junction, polished, h, 80ft 



2T 



