550 PLANTATIONS OF OSIERS. dpp. 7, 



Mr ShhrefPs plantation of Osiers was nearly under si- 

 milar circumstances in regard to shelter and quality of 

 soil, The lowness of the situation, and greater humi- 

 dity of the soil, were greatly in his favour. The de- 

 scription of this osier plantation follows. ' It is situat-^ 



* ed in a bottom, sheltered from the west and north 



* winds by hedges and hedge-row trees, but exposed to 



* the south-east, the fences being low on these sides. 



* The soil may generally be denominated a clayey loam, 



* of coarse quality. It had probably, till about thirty- 

 6 five years ago, been under natural meadow ; and a 



* considerable part of it was subject to be flooded in 



* winter. An open drain or ditch, six feet wide, and 



* three and one half deep, cured it of this inconveni- 



* ence. It had afterwards been in the rotation of crops 



* common to the practice of good agriculture in the 



* district, and frequently laid down to pasture in excel- 



* lent preparation for several years, at different times 



* since that period. The pasturage, however, was but 



* coarse ; and crops of grain, excepting oats, were sel- 



* dom valuable. ' 



In no case should a plantation of willows be attempt- 

 ed (as noticed above) but in prepared ground ; except- 

 ing perhaps where a few rows may be introduced upon 

 the very brink of a river, or on the top of the counter- 

 ditches, which form in many instances the barrier of 

 the waters, where the soil can scarcely be dug or other- 

 wise meliorated. Nothing can be farther from being 

 good management than planting the truncheons in 

 grass, and allowing the sward to remain green under, 

 or among, the crop. 



Having fixed upon the spot, and having also care- 

 fully prepared the ground, the next matter in course 

 is procuring the plants. These, notwithstanding of all 



that 



