11-58 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUAf. PART III. 



Anderson, F.L.S., had at that time a collection at West Ham, in Essex, 

 which he was studying for the same purpose ; as had Edward Forster, Esq., 

 at Walthamstow, and which has since been removed to Woodfbrd, in Essex ; 

 and W. Borrer, Esq., at Henfield, in Sussex. At Lewes, in the same county, 

 Mr. Woollgar had extensive willow grounds, studied the species very assidu- 

 ously, and communicated several facts to Sir J. E. Smith. Subsequently, 

 a collection was made by His Grace the Duke of Bedford at Woburn, which 

 appears to have been the most extensive till then made in England ; and the 

 next greatest number of sorts is in the arboretum of Messrs. Loddiges, at 

 Hackney. In all these salictums, we are informed by those who have ex- 

 amined them, the plants were placed too closely together to attain their 

 characteristic form and size. At Woburn, the plants were, till 1836, 

 crowded together in a very limited space, which necessarily prevented 

 their habits from being properly studied ; but they have since been trans- 

 planted, and allowed more room; though they are not, even now, as it 

 appears to us, in a situation either sufficiently large, or adequately ex- 

 posed to the influence of the sun and the air. A few species of willows have 

 attained the size of trees in the Horticultural Society's Garden ; but, as 

 far as we are aware, there is no extensive collection of full-grown willows any 

 where either in Britain or on the Continent. Most of the kinds in the 

 Woburn salictum are in the arboretum at Flitwick House, at Goldwort! , 

 and at Messrs. Loddiges's, Hackney ; and we believe, also, that there are 

 excellent collections in the principal botanic gardens, more especially in 

 that of Edinburgh. The Duke of Bedford, indeed, has liberally contributed 

 cuttings from his collection at Woburn to all who have applied for them ; 

 so that, if willows are not in future extensively cultivated, and properly 

 studied, it will not be for want of plants, but from the cultivators not allowing 

 them sufficient room to attain their natural size and habits. On the Continent, 

 the best collections are in Germany, and principally, we believe, at Erlangen, 

 under the direction of Koch. Dr. Host is said to have cultivated upwards 

 of 300 sorts in the botanic garden under his care at Vienna; and there are 

 good collections at Gottingen, Bremen, and Berlin. 



In an economical point of view, scarcely anything was added to our know- 

 ledge of the culture and uses of the willow since the time of the Romans ; 

 till the slight notices of the uses of willows given by Ray, and afterwards by 

 Evelyn. The first systematic essay on the subject appears to have been 

 written by Dr. Walker, about the latter end of the last century, though not 

 published till 1812. It is entitled Salicctum ; or, the Botanical History and 

 Cultivation of Willows ; and it is contained in his volume of Essays, p. 403 

 469. Here 22 species are described, and an account is given of their uses 

 and mode of cultivation. All these species, and various others, which are 

 promised to be described in a future volume, were cultivated by the author in 

 his garden at Collinton, near Edinburgh. 



Salices, &c., by Dr. Wade, was published in 1811, and contains descriptions 

 of most of the European species at that time known, with directions for their 

 propagation and culture. 



Willows for basket-making and hoops were principally imported from 

 Holland and France, till towards the commencement of the present century; 

 when our exclusion from the Continent, in consequence of the continued war, 

 led to the formation of plantations at home. The Society of Arts, directing 

 their attention to the subject, have, at various times, offered premiums for the 

 cultivation of willows; and in their Transactions for 1801, 1804-, and 1805, as 

 well as in previous and subsequent volumes, will be found accounts of plant- 

 ations made for which premiums were awarded./ In England, the principal 

 of these plantations were made by Arthur Borron of Warrington, in Lan- 

 cashire; Mr. Wade of Suffolk; and Mr. Phillips and Mr. Bull of Ely: and, 

 in Scotland, by Mr. Shirreflf, at Captainhead, near Haddington. 



The principal plantations of willows for basket-making, in every country, 

 are made along the banks of rivers and streams; and, in England, those on the 



