342 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Willow (also called the Rose- Willow or the Whipcord- Willow) for 

 game-proof hedges, the species scarcely ever being touched by cattle, 

 rabbits and other herbivorous animals. Not only for this reason, but 

 also for its very rapid growth and remunerative yield of the very best of 

 basket-material, he recommends it for field-hedges. Cuttings are planted 

 only half a foot apart and must be entirely pushed into the ground. 

 The annual produce from such a hedge is worth 4s. to 5s. for the 

 chain. To obtain additional strength, the shoots can be interwoven. 

 In rich bottoms the shoots will grow from 7 to 1 3 feet in a year. The 

 supply of basket-material from this willow has fallen very far short of 

 the demand in England. The plant grows vigorously on light soil or 

 warp-land, but not on clay. It likes sandy loam, and will even do 

 fairly well on gravelly soil, but it is not so easily reared as S. triandra. 

 Mr. Scaling's renewed advocacy for the formation of willow-planta- 

 tions comes with so much force, that his advice is here given, though 

 condensed in a few words. Osier-plantations come into full bearing 

 in the third year; they bear for about ten years and then slowly 

 decline. The raw produce from an acre in a year averages 6 to 1\ 

 tons, ranging from 2 10s. to 3 10s. for the ton (unpeeled). 

 Although 7,000 acres are devoted in Britain to the culture of basket- 

 willows (exclusive of spinneys and plantations for the farmer's own 

 use), yet in 1866 there had to be imported from the Continent 4,400 

 tons of willow-branches, at an expense of 44,000, while besides the 

 value of the made baskets imported that year was equal to that sum. 

 In recent years the importation into the United States of willow- 

 material for baskets, chairs and other utensils has, according to 

 Simmonds, been estimated as approaching $1,000,000. Land, com- 

 paratively unfit for root- or grain-crops, can be used very remunera- 

 tively for osier-plantations. The soft-wooded willows like to grow 

 in damper ground than the hard-wooded species. The best peeled 

 willow-branches fetch as much ac 25 for the ton. Peeling is easiest 

 effected by steam, by which means the material is also increased in 

 durability. No basket-willow will thrive in stagnant water. Osier- 

 plantations in humid places should therefore be drained. The cuttings 

 are best taken from branches one or two years old, and are to be 

 planted as close as one foot by one foot and a half. No part of the 

 cutting must remain uncovered, in order that only straight shoots may 

 be obtained; manuring and ploughing between the rows is thus also 

 facilitated, after the crop has been gathered, and this, according to 

 the approved Belgian method, must be done by cutting the shoots 

 close to the ground after the fall of the leaves. The accidental 

 introduction from abroad of destructive saw-flies (particularly Ne- 

 matus ventralis), which prey also on currant- and gooseberry-bushes, 

 should be guarded against. 



Salix rubra, Hudson * 



Throughout Europe, also in West-Asia and North- Africa; much 

 chosen for osier-beds. When cut down, it will make shoots eight 

 feet long in a season. Dr. Porcher regards it as one of the most 



