CHAP. (Mil. .VAl.ICA v CE;E. .VA1.1X. 1477 



but this horizontal rod may be dispensed with where the rods are planted 

 crossing each other ; as, when that is the case, each is kept in its place by a 

 single tie at any point of intersection near the top of the fence. The advantage 

 of placing the rods either sloping or intersecting is, that they push equally 

 throughout ; whereas, when placed perpendicularly, they push chiefly at the 

 summit. The durability offences of this description depends entirely on their 

 management ; on suffering no one rod, or plant, to grow more vigorously than 

 another ; and cutting the hedge regularly every year, either in summer for the 

 leaves as fodder, or in November for the twigs for basket-making ; and in 

 keeping the base of the hedge at least twice the width of the top. 



Culture of Willows as ornamental Trees or Shrubs. It is almost needless to 

 repeat what we have before stated on the subject of rendering trees and shrubs 

 either gardenesque, or picturesque, according to the character of the scene in 

 which they are to be placed. As gardenesque objects, all the shrubs, as well 

 as the trees, will have most effect when trained to a single stem, if only to the 

 height of 2 ft. or 3 ft. This alone gives them the character of art. All the 

 trailing sorts, such as S. herbacea, S. reticulata, &c., to be truly gardenesque, 

 ought to be grafted standard high, for the same reason. For picturesque 

 decoration in artificial scenery, all the upright shrubby and tree willows may 

 be scattered or grouped along the margin of water ; and all the creeping or 

 trailing kinds placed on rockwork, and left to take their natural shapes. 

 Such species of willow as S. pentandra, S. lucida, and one or two others, 

 from having little of the aspect common to the willow family, and, conse- 

 quently, their forms not being associated with the idea of moist soil or water, 

 may be placed near a house, or in a shrubbery or flower-garden, on account 

 of their fragrance and early blossoms : but this cannot be recommended with 

 respect to willows in general, which always convey the idea of the vicinity of 

 water, or of marshy ground. 



A Salictum is the only scene in which a complete collection of willows can 

 be displayed to advantage ; because, as we have already observed, willows are 

 not trees that will associate well with any other kinds. We would by no 

 means recommend a salictum to be formed along the margin of water where 

 the plants can be seen only on one side ; unless, indeed, the object were to form 

 picturesque scenery. In this case, the plants may be grouped in various ways ; 

 some on the margin of water, others on the open lawn, and some on rocks, 

 banks, and stony places. A salictum where the object is to preserve as much 

 as possible the indigenous characters of the kinds, ought to contain various 

 surfaces and kinds of soil ; and be wholly aquatic in some places, and rocky, 

 gravelly, sandy, or arid, in others. Such a salictum is admirably adapted for 

 hilly countries ; and, as almost all the willows are natives of cold climates, 

 a salictum of this kind would be a scene particularly suitable for the 

 north of Scotland. A gardenesque salictum is that which would produce 

 most effect in a fertile and level country ; and, if water is at command, it may 

 either be conducted in drains under the surface, for the purpose of irrigation 

 at pleasure ; or it may appear in a canal, surrounding the salictum, and assum- 

 ing a gardenesque or artistical form ; or in a geometrical or gardenesque pond 

 in the centre. In such a salictum, all the plants ought to be placed singly, 

 with an ample space between them to allow each to attain its natural size and 

 shape. The creeping and trailing sorts ought also to be planted singly, and 

 allowed free space to extend themselves on every side; because, here, the 

 object being more to display botanical character in a gardenesque manner 

 than to exhibit the curious gardenesque, it would hardly be proper to graft 

 the creeping and trailing sorts standard high, so as to make trees totally 

 different from any ever seen in nature. 



As all the species of Salix flower in early spring, or from the beginning of 

 March to the middle of June, and as the flowers are, in the daytime when 

 the sun shines, covered with bees, the salictum is one of the most cheerful 

 and inviting of garden scenes after the gloom of winter has passed away. 

 For this reason, it is desirable that the soil of the salictum should be dry at 



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