' Lxviii. ^alica'cetE : sk lix. 745 



The species vary from 2 or 3 inches to 50 or 60 feet, and even to SO or 90 

 feet, in height. The branches are ronnd and flexible ; the leaves in all cases 

 deciduous, and the sexes, with scarcely any exceptions, on different plants. 

 The appearance of the male plant and the female plant, of the same species, 

 is generally more or less different ; and hence one of the great difficulties in 

 the study of this genus, the species of which may be described as in a .state 

 of inextricable confusion. The growth of the dwarfest species, such as S. 

 herbacea, is slow, and, in its native habitat, not above 1 in. a year, and often 

 not so much ; that of the larger shrubs, in their native habitats, varies from 

 5 or 6 inches to as many feet, especially when the plants are young or newly 

 cut down. The growth of some of the kinds cultivated for basket-making or 

 hoops, in good soil, when cut down every year or every two years, is often 

 from 8 ft. to 12 ft. in a single season. The growth of the tree kinds, more 

 especially of S. alba and S. Russell/o, is equally rapid when young ; so that 

 in ten years, in the climate of London, in suitable soil, and within reach of 

 water, these kinds will attain the height of 30 or 60 feet. The branches of 

 most of the tree kinds have an upward direction, and have a flame-like motion 

 in the wind, as in S. alba ; but in others they are spreading, as in S. caprea ; and, 

 in one instance, drooping in a very decided manner, as in S. babylonica. 



Almost all the willows are found naturally either in a cold soil and moist 

 climate, or, if in a sandy soil, within reach of water. The low-growing kinds 

 are sometimes, however, found in dry arid soils ; but in such soils they are 

 never in a thriving state. Willows are very seldom found growing on moist 

 peat bogs ; the only species observed in such situations by Steele being the 

 S. caprea and the S. pentandra, and these only sparingly in peat bog that was 

 dry. All the willows are propagated by cuttings ; though some of the more 

 rare alpine kinds root with difficulty. Some species propagate very readily 

 from seeds ; and there can be little doubt that grafting, inarching, and other 

 similar modes of propagation, would be as successful in this genus as in 

 most others. 



The best kinds of willow for growing as timber trees are : ^S*. alba, which will 

 attain the height of from 60 ft. to 80 ft. in 20 years. S. RusselhV;a and S. 

 fragilis, which are frequently confounded ; and, indeed, in external appearance, 

 differ very slightly from each other except in size: iS'. KussellM?2a growing as 

 rapidly, and to as great a height, as S. alba ; but S. fragilis, though it grows 

 with equal rapidity, not attaining so great a height. S. caprea, and some of its 

 allied kinds, which grow as rapidly as 5. fragilis for three or four years ; and 

 will attain nearly the same height as that species in the same time ; that is, on 

 good soil, from 30 ft. to 40 ft. in twenty years : according to Bosc, S. caprea 

 is the most valuable of all the tree willows grown in France. Other willows 

 which attain a timber-like size, or about 30 or 40 feet in twenty years, are, 

 S. triandra, S. rotundata, S. liicida, S. Meyeridna, S. prae'cox, S. Pontedera?i, 

 S. acuminata, S. pentandra, S. vitellina, and S. amygdalina. Many of the 

 other species, in good soil, if allowed sufficient room, and trained to a single 

 stem, would attain the size and character of trees ; but with a view to timber, 

 the four species first mentioned, viz. S. alba, S. RusaeWidna, S. fragilis, and 

 S. caprea, are alone worth cultivating. The best sorts for coppice-wood are 

 S. ciiprea and its allied kinds. 



Almost all the species of willows may be grown for basket rods, but some 

 are greatly preferable to others. The most vigorous-growing basket willow 

 IS, unquestionably, S. viminalis ; and it is also the sort most generallv cul- 

 tivated for that purpose. It has no disadvantage that we are aware of, except 

 that in cold wet seasons, and in a moist soil, it does not always ripen the 

 points of its shoots. S. rubra, S. Forbydna, S. decipiens, and S. stipularis are 

 excellent species, of less vigorous growth than S, viminalis, which ripen the 

 points of their shoots perfectly in most seasons : the best of these is, 

 perhaps, S. Vorbydna, S. triandra is nearly as vigorous as S. viminalis. S. 

 helix, S. vitellina, and S. purpurea are very desirable species where small 



