rHE CANADIAN HOKTIC0LTUEI8T. 



117 



trouble to contend with is the slug and 

 thrip, which may be very easily kept 

 under control by white hellebore or 

 tobacco water. Although Rose culture 

 is somewhat troublesome, you are amply 

 remunerated for your pains. The Rose 

 is a Rose, and it is not eveiy shrub 

 that is a Rose ; and even when grown 

 under adverse circumstances, it is yet a 

 thing of beauty. 



Simon Roy. 

 Berlin, 17th Feb., 1885. 



THE WILLOW. 



p. K. BUCKE, OTTAW.^, ONT. 



In putting in a plea for growing the 

 willow as a valuable and profitable ad- 

 dition to the industries of Ontario or 

 the North-west, I feel that I am lay- 

 ing myself open to the censure of many 

 individuals who perhaps have only par- 

 tially looked into the subject. Any 

 man who has a low lying swail of a 

 few acres covered by a thick willow 

 growth, which he has undertaken to 

 clear up, will realize in this plant the 

 fact that " it has come to stay," as our 

 American neighbors term it. 



The Salix family is one of the largest, 

 if not the largest, of any of the vege- 

 table kinofdom. Loudon orives 282 



o o 



species, 51 of these are credited to 

 North America. The willow is found 

 in every conceivable climate, extending 

 from the tropics as far north as the 

 Arctic Circle ; it grows on all kinds of 

 soil, from the banks of low stagnant 

 pools to the highest elevations. The 

 plants range from the tiniest osier to 

 the majestic forest tree of six feet 

 through. It would be rather a blot on 

 creation if so large a portion of its 

 wealth had been bestowed on such a 

 widely-distributed product should it 

 prove to be a useless article. 



Many people do not plant trees be- 

 cause of the length of time it takes 

 them to grow. This complaint cannot 

 be brought against the Salix alba, 



white willow of Huntingdon. Its 

 growth, though not so rapid as the 

 mushroom, or the historic gourd, which 

 grew up in a night, is yet of sufficient 

 rapidity to satisfy the most fastidious. 

 In ten years from the cutting it will 

 make a tree fi-om nine to thirteen inches 

 through, and from twenty-eight to 

 thirty-five feet high. On the Westei-n 

 American praii'ies, where it is exten- 

 sively grown, it is claimed to be the 

 best tree for the early settlers. It is 

 also claimed that it will reproduce 

 itself with great rapidity from the 

 stump, no matter how old the tree was 

 when c^lt down. The wood is light, 

 tough and elastic, easily worked, and 

 makes valuable lasting timber ; it splits 

 freely, makes good sawn lumber when 

 of sufficient size, and grows with a 

 straight, tall stem when closely planted. 

 It is used for tool handles, hoops, 

 cooper work, &c. ; the bark is employed 

 for tanning and medicinal purposes, 

 taking the place of Peruvian bark for 

 intermittent fevers, the active principle 

 being salicin. This tree should be 

 largely cultivated in our North-west ; 

 being hardy and of rapid growth, it 

 would prove very beneficial there both 

 for timber and windbreaks. I would 

 recommend it for planting between 

 more dui-able and slower growing forest 

 trees, or in plantations to take their 

 place whilst they are coming forward. 



The Salix caprea grows to a large 

 size ; the wood takes a fine polish ; it 

 is stated to be worth as much in the 

 market as birch. Its bark is also used 

 for tanning purposes. 



Salix fragilis, or red wood willow, 

 also attains to a good big tree ; its tim- 

 ber is used for many purposes, and is 

 valuable. 



The willow chiefly employed for 

 basket purposes in Europe is Salix 

 viminalis. This variety is cultivated 

 on low, level, moist soils. The plant- 

 ins should be made from cuttings. 



