S30 [Assembly 



The green-leaved Osier (Salix Rubra, or red,) is a small tree, 

 witli long, upriglif, smooth, greyish or purplish, more frequently 

 tawny branches. It is very tough and pliant, and is one of tli© 

 most valuable Osiers when cut down annually. The very long 

 narrow leaves of it agree in shape with the Salix Viminalis. It 

 is rather rare. It lacks the dense white pubescence (hairiness.) 



In the fens in tlie ea-'t of England tliere are many plantations 

 or Holts (as Ihoy xheng cull them) of Osiers. These beautify the 

 country, keep the ^tock warm in winter, and provide fur basket 

 «nd all wicker w^ork. 



The mode of planting is very simple. They dig the ground to 

 the depth of one foot, and then prick down cuttings of four year's 

 growth, and eighteen inches long, at three P.et apart. The proper 

 season for this planting is from the fall of (he leaf until late in the 

 Spring, but they seldom fail, if set out at any time. 



The Club will be much pleased to receire communication* 

 from any citizen who has raised the Osier, and to learn of its ex- 

 tension through our country. 



Judge Van Wyck — There is no branch of agriculture, and hor- 

 ticulture, perhaps, more important for our country, and, indeed, 

 for any counti-y, than the introduction and ciiltivationof newahd 

 nsfeful plan's. This consists not only in introducing exotic or 

 foreign plants, but in discovering new ones at home. Our coun- 

 try presents a wide field for this last. It is a young country and 

 and an extensive one. It possesses a great diversity of surface, 

 of climate and of soil, numerous high mountains, extensive plains, 

 many large, dense forests. The enterprising gardner and farmer, 

 both scientific and practical, could not perhaps employ a portion 

 of their time more profitably than in endeavoring to procure some 

 new i^.[\i\i or iKW vaiicty irorn a di.-tarice. Thir> ought to ]>e of the 

 grass or grain kind or garden vegetables ; some new tree — orna- 

 mental or useful ; some new fruit or flower. These, or some of 

 them, have at different periods been transplanted from the north 

 to the south and west, and vice versa ; and, with a little care at 

 first, been acclimated, grew^, prospered, and found useful and 

 beautiful in their respective new localities. Exotics, plants of 



