BULLETIN OF THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. 433 



In selecting a soil best adapted to the growth of the Salix 

 purpurea, a warm, sandy loam should be sought for ; a soil that 

 will produce good crops of Indian corn, is better adapted to the 

 growth of this variety than a soil well adapted to the growth of 

 grass. To make the business of growing osiers profitable, a home 

 market is needed ; therefore if the business is to increase rapidly 

 in this country, the manufacturers who use osiers should keep in 

 close touch with the farmers, increasing their business as rapidly as 

 the demand for their manufactures will warrant, and the farmers 

 can be induced to furnish the osiers. 



To prepare land that has not been under cultivation during the 

 previous year, for a plantation of willows, a crop of Indian corn 

 may be planted and several cords more of manure applied to each 

 acre than the crop of corn will be likely to consume ; the cultivation 

 of the land should be thorough to prevent any weed seeds from 

 ripening. As early in the following spring as the land will work 

 readily, it should be ploughed about 8 inches deep. The slips 

 for planting should have been cut from the stumps the previous 

 autumn, a few weeks before winter sets in, and cut in lengths of 

 about 12 inches, tied up in small bundles, and buried in a sand- 

 bank, a few inches deep ; if on the south side of the bank, it will 

 be found when the slips are taken out in the spring, that the new 

 roots have already begun to grow. A few days after the land is 

 ploughed, the cuttings should be planted ; if the soil be fine and 

 in good condition, the cuttings may be easily pushed into the 

 ground about 9 inches, leaving 3 inches above the surface ; it is 

 best to set the slips on an angle of 45 degrees from the perpen- 

 dicular ; if set upright the roots at the lower end will be too deep to 

 grow as rapidly as they would if nearer the surface, and the sap 

 will not rise to the leaves as readily as on an angle. The cuttings 

 should be set in rows 2 feet apart each way. In case the land be 

 very weedy the first year, the weeds should be destroyed, but in 

 doing so great care should be taken not to start any of the cut- 

 tings ; for to disturb them before the roots get well started checks 

 their growth if it does not kill them. Experience has proved that 

 cultivation is unnecessary on high land after the first year. 



Unless the soil be very rich the crop should not be cut until it 

 has made two years' growth, when if cut in the autumn and kept 

 in a sandbank over winter it will make excellent slips for new 



