FORESTRY AND CONSERVATION 417 



tion may be considered appropriate. Do not plant willows in locali- 

 ties where early frosts occur. The tender shoots are easily injured 

 by cold. 



Plow 10 or 12 inches deep in the fall, prior to planting the 

 following spring. This turns the top layer of the soil so deep that 

 weed seeds can not spring up. If rain is insufficient, irrigate the 

 holt, if possible, but thorough drainage must be provided, as water 

 must not stand on the surface. It is best also to keep the land well 

 drained during the winter. 



Returns depend very largely upon the method of culture, but 

 more upon the variety of willow planted. Willows with the most 

 approved qualities should be planted, because the shoots of even the 

 best varieties and in the most suitable soil grow brittle after the 

 stools become old. The American green and Welsh willows are 

 most generally planted. The rods of the former peel readily, split 

 easily, are snow-white, hard, flexible, and heavy. They have a 

 tendency to branch, however, and unless the stools are planted close 

 together, a large percentage of the rods branch so much that they 

 are often unfit for peeled stock. The Welsh willow yields less in 

 bulk per acre than the American green, but surpasses the latter 

 both in market value (because of better quality) and in specific 

 weight. For planting along rivers to prevent erosion, Welsh willow 

 is the best. The Lemley, or Caspian willow, is preferable for plant- 

 ing in poor, sandy land. In moist, rich, sandy loam it produces 

 more than twice as much in weight as the Welsh willow. It is best 

 to plant several varieties of willows in order to obtain a good crop 

 of one or more each year, since all willows yield better crops some 

 years than in others. A good basket willow possesses the following 

 characteristics: (1) Ability to yield an annual and uniformly pay- 

 ing crop of rods; (2) Flexibility; (3) Productiveness, i. e., many 

 shoots to each stool; (4) Slender and branchless rods; (5) Smooth 

 and white wood after peeling. 



Planting Willow Cuttings. Cuttings for planting should be 

 made from one-year-old shoots. The length of the slips is regulated 

 by the condition of the soil. The richer the soil the shorter the cut- 

 tings may be. Generally they are made 8 inches long for moist, 

 rich soil, and 12 inches for dry, sandy soil. Although it is generally 

 advised to prepare cuttings just before planting, they may be made 

 several weeks in advance and, partially buried in moderately moist 

 sand, stored in a cold barn until needed. Bury the cuttings in sand 

 to within 1 inch of the top. Care should be taken to have the 

 buds point upward. 



Plant early in the spring, as soon as the frost is out of the 

 ground. In spacing the plants, the following principle holds for 

 all willows and for all soils: The closer the cuttings are planted, 

 the more valuable, i. e., more flexible, tough, slender, and branch- 

 less the rods become. On the other hand, they must not be planted 

 so close that the soil in and between the rows can not be cultivated. 

 As a general rule, cuttings should be spaced 9 inches apart in the 

 rows and 20 inches between the rows. Willows -with small leaves 



