. /.] PLANTATIONS OF OSIERS. 557 



be separated from the wood : The small end is then 

 treated in the same manner, and the peeling is com- 

 pleted. 



Good willows, peeled in the above manner, have been 

 sold, for some seasons past, at from 6s. 6d. to 7s. the 

 bundle of four feet circumference. After beirig peel- 

 ed, they will keep in good condition for a long time, till 

 a proper market be found. 



In regard to the kinds of willows proper to be plant- 

 ed, much might be said ; for no kind of plant generally 

 cultivated exhibits so many different species as the wil- 

 low. Several of these, it must be owned, are very im- 

 proper for being cultivated for the above purposes ; and 

 to this circumstance, in some instances, maybe attri- 

 buted the failure of the crops. We may observe, in 

 general, that by far the easiest way of procuring proper 

 sorts, is to get them from some established plantations, 

 containing willows of good quality, approved by basket 

 makers and coopers. 



We shall here, however, describe, in a slight and popu- 

 lar way, the different species of willows which best deserve 

 to be cultivated for hoops and for the various sorts of wicker 

 work. We may premise, that in every district both of 

 Scotland and England, basket-makers and osier grow- 

 ers have provincial names for their willows. To men- 

 tion these would be quite nugatory. We shall there- 

 fore give the correct English names, as fixed by Dr 

 Smith, and also the scientific or botanic names ; and by 

 means of these united, we doubt not that the species 

 recommended may, with tolerable certainty, be procur- 

 ed at the principal nurseries both in England and Scot- 

 land, by those who are desirous of cultivating only the 

 most select kinds. 



The Common Osier (Salix riminalis) is the most fre- 

 quent 



