330 BRITISH FOREST TREES 



the fresh annual shoots being removed as thinnings each 

 year. 



The returns from willow-culture are often high, but vary 

 of course considerably with soil, situation, species, and 

 period of rotation. According to Danckelmann, 1 the annual 

 out-turn in one-year-old withes from a fully stocked area is 

 1 88 cb.ft. (solid wood), or, on the average, 38*4 cwt. of peeled 

 and dried withes, mostly however of coarse texture, in the 

 case of S. viminalis ; 145 cb.ft., or, on the average, 28*8 cwt. 

 of peeled and dried withes of the best, toughest, and finest 

 material in the case of S. purpurea ; between these both in 

 quantity and quality in the case of S. helix ; 90 to 100 cb.ft., 

 or about 28 cwt., of peeled and dried withes in the case of 

 -5". acutifolia, but somewhat discoloured, and therefore only 

 used for the coarser descriptions of wicker-work. In regard 

 to monetary returns there are great variations, though with 

 a good market near at hand the cultivation of osier-beds is 

 one of the most remunerative forms of sylviculture. 

 According to Burckhardt, 2 an annual average return of 

 ;3 i2s. to $ per acre, after deduction of the costs 

 of harvesting, is nothing unusual either with a one or a four 

 years' rotation, wherever there is normal density of crop and 

 a favourable market near at hand. Newly-formed osier- 

 beds cannot, of course, be expected to achieve such results 

 all at once. 



Formation of Osier-beds, For the formation of new osier- 

 beds a thorough preparation of the soil is the first requisite. 

 This can best be accomplished either by the use of the plough, 

 or by trenching to a depth of sixteen to twenty inches, with 

 simultaneous manuring if the soil is not naturally fertile ; 

 for the experience of the best willow cultivators shows the 

 importance of this latter measure. Where feasible, the 



1 Gayer, Der Wahlbau, 1889, p. 213. 

 - Siicn iind Pflanzcn, 1880, p. 463. 



