248 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



as fast as on moist soil. Avoid locations where stagnant water 

 stands in summer. Among the best situations is along the riv- 

 ers and brooks that pass through a level country, and on small 

 islands which frequently are found in the midst of streams, or 

 swales or hollows. If these places are occasionally quite wet in 

 winter, it does not seem to injure seriously the basket willows. 



In preparing the soil for this purpose care should be taken 

 to make it very rich, and, if necessary, for best growth it should 

 be heavily manured with stable manure, and as carefully pre- 

 pared as if for a crop of corn. The best time for planting is in 

 the late autumn, or very early in the spring, and the best cuttings 

 are those about twelve inches long. Put these cuttings in so 

 that their tops are even with the ground, but do not cover them 

 with earth. Some growers prefer to set the cuttings about 

 four inches apart in rows twenty inches apart for best results. 

 This gives a thick, close growth, which sufficiently shades the 

 soil between the rows that weeds cannot grow there. If the 

 plants should prove to be too thick, every alternate one can be 

 grubbed out after the third year. This method will require about 

 65,000 cuttings to the acre. Other growers prefer to set twelve 

 inches apart in rows three feet apart. This gives a chance to 

 work between the rows with a horse, which is quite an advantage 

 under some conditions. This method requires about 15,000 cut- 

 tings per acre. 



On land that is wet late in autumn the willows are liable to 

 grow too long, and not ripen their shoots, which is an important 

 consideration in the growing of basket willows; since, if the 

 shoots are not ripened at the time growth ceases, they are worth- 

 less for basket purposes, being soft and brittle. The rods should 

 be cut the first year, even if of no value, for if the cutting is 

 delayed until the second year, the plants will have branched, and 

 will produce much less valuable material. The rods should be 

 cut as near the surface of the ground as possible. They should 

 then be tied in bundles about ten inches in diameter, and, if it 

 is intended to .sap-peel them, these bundles should be placed in 

 running water, standing upright, until the leaves or sprouts 

 appear in the spring, when they should be ready to peel. This 

 method of peeling is termed sap-peeling. When it is intended to 

 remove the bark by steaming or boiling, the bundles may be set 

 up anywhere until dry, when they may be stored in sacks or in 



