WILLOW. 283 



kinds of basket-work, whether useful or ornamental ; while 

 those of the broad-leaved monadelphous willow, of which 

 the true locality is the banks of subalpine rivers in the 

 north of England, is utterly valueless as an osier. 



Narrow-leaved osiers, somewhat unrestricted in their 

 growing-places, and frequenting alike both woods and 

 hedges, with the banks of rivers and osier-grounds, come 

 more generally under the appellation of tree osiers ; and 

 among such, the smooth willow is one of the most valuable. 

 This graceful species, when not molested, often rises to the 

 height of thirty feet, and casts its bark, which cracks 

 angularly, like that of the plane-tree, in autumn. It is 

 principally cultivated for white basket-work, and produces 

 rods of eight or nine feet long, which are tough and pliant, 

 and very durable. Men are appointed to cut them down 

 every year ; and when the willow-beds are surrounded on 

 all sides with water, and those who are thus about to be 

 employed go in boats, with their wives and children, the 

 scene is both novel and animating. 



