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1863 



THE ILLmOiS FAEMEE. 



IB . 



WHITE WILLOW, OB SALIX ALBA OF GRAY. 



The "White Willow," which has of late been 

 exciting such a furor in the horticultural world, 

 had been set down as the sabject for discussion. 

 The attendance had been increased by the arri- 

 val of well known faces on the later trains, and 

 all were present with a most eager anxiety to 

 say or hear what is known or might be said in 

 regard to our old acquantance and new friend, 

 the White Willow, 



WHAT SHALL IT BE CALLED ? 



■ A resolution was offered, as opening the 

 ground for the coming discussion, that the Wil- 

 low, specimens of which were present, which is 

 the true willow of which mention has so often 

 been made of late, has for its proper name or cog- 

 nomen, the White Willow. An interchange of 

 opinions, more in the conversational way than in 

 the manner of formal discussions, ensued be- 

 tween Dr. Warder, Dunlap, Bragdon ond Gala- 

 sha, in regard to the proper botanical name, dif- 

 ferent prominent botanists having seemingly de- 

 scribed in the same manner species, to which dif- 

 ferent names were given. This discussion soon 

 assumed the more business method, upon the 

 President taking the reins, each person expres- 

 sing his views briefly to the point aimed at. We 

 give from this point the substance of the eve- 

 ning : 



Mr. Fell — When Dr. Schroeder says this is not 

 the White Willow, I think he is mistaken. Prof. 

 Hoop of Westchester, whom I regard as having 

 a popular reputation for special knowledge of 

 trees, wrote me that this is the Salix Alba, or 

 I White Willow." 



I It is grown largely in Pennsylvania for the 



f manufacture of powder. Dupont makes his best 

 j rifle powder of it. None other equals it in that 

 ! regard. 



Dr. Darlington of Westchester, author of well 

 known treatise on botany, agrees with Professor 

 Hoops in regard to it. 



Mr. Bragdon — I called lately on a nurseryman 

 who was selling largely what he called the White 

 Willow. It was not of the same habit of this be- 

 fore us. He said he knew It to be the White 

 Willow, because of its branches separating read- 

 ily, at its base. And yet this is the character- 

 istic of many Willows. 



Dr. Warder — Yes ; of all our American Wil- 

 lows. 



Mr. Bryant — Yery many tell me this is the 

 Powder Willow. 



Mr. Flagg — Prof. Turner told me he had on his 

 place three sub-varieties of the White Willow, 

 differing in size, shape, etc. 



Dr. Schroeder — This is identical with the Salix j 

 Salicifolia of Europe. It is used there for many 

 purposes. It is used as a basket willow, and this 

 basket (presenting one) was made from it 

 there. 



The only willow that will not break by twist- 

 ing, etc., is the Palm Willow. There it is only 

 used in church service, the tradition going that 

 on this willow, called "palm willow," with us, 

 and translated "sycamore" in your Bible, Zac- 

 cheus climed to see our Savior pass. 



Mr. Bragdon — Had we not better say, "this is 

 the Salix Alba of Gray," so that others may 

 know from its description exactly that of which 

 we are talking. 



Dr. Warder — Resolutions that this or that is 

 so or so, accomplish nothing in a matter of this 

 kind. Let us go to the books, and after special 

 conference with them and the thing before us, 

 we can resolve with accuracy and make decision 

 useful. 



Mr. Overman — There are dozens of willows 

 which have a similar leaf, but this has a charac- 

 teristic of growth defining it from others. There 

 should be such a description given as would sep- 

 arate this from any different thing that may be 

 sold as the White Willow. 



Mr. Minier — The standing of the Society and 

 the value of the tree render it doubly necessary 

 that we should only act knowingly and withcau* 

 tion. ,. -- 



The following were appointed as a committee 

 to ascertain the true name of the Willow under 

 discussion, with such description as should dis- 

 tinguish it from others, and enable the public to 

 identify it : Dr. Warder, Arthur Bryant, and C. 

 R. Overman. 



ITS VALUE AS TIMBER. 



The next point discussed was the value of the 

 White Willow for timber purposes, to be grown 

 on our prairies. 



Mr. Overman — I am confident that this willow 

 is to change the features of our prairies, at littie 

 cost and in a short time. It is good for almost 

 everything. It will make lath, hoop^poles, rails 

 shingles, &c. Not many years and every locality 

 will have its mills sawing out the logs. The 

 bare prairies will become timber regions. You 

 may say these are assertions. They are, howev- 

 er, the expression of my belief founded on these 

 reasons. I believe it will be generally introduced 



