212 FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 



teristic is their ability to grow readily from root or branch cuttings and to sprout 

 vigorously and persistently from cut stumps of almost any age. 



SALIX. WILLOWS. 



The many trees (and shrubs) of the willow group are at once distinguished 

 by the quinine-like bitter taste of their bark, which is harmless. Their decidu- 

 ous leaves, variable in form, are most frequently long and narrowly pointed, 

 smooth throughout, or coated with fine silky hairs on their under surfaces ; 

 their margins may be entire (uncut) or variously toothed. They grow singly 

 on the branches at points alternating with each other on different sides of the 

 branches (never in pairs, one opposite the other on two sides of the branch). 

 Willow leaves are peculiar in having a pair of ear-shaped, minute or large, leaf- 

 like growths at the base of their stems. These are larger and therefore more 

 conspicuous on vigorous annual shoots, on which they may remain until they 

 fall with the leaves, while on other stems they are present only during the 

 early growth of the leaves. The leaves may fall in the autumn without much 

 change of color, or they may first turn a lemon yellow. Leaf-scars (left by the 

 falling leaves) are marked by three minute dots (fibro-vascular bundles severed 

 by the parting of the leaf stem). The fruit and seed are sufficiently described 

 under the family (Salicaceae). 



Annual sprouts of willows are exceedingly strong and withy, while older 

 branches from the crown are often peculiarly frangible ; twigs are notably 

 frangible where they join a larger branch or fork. A frequent habit of growth 

 among willows is to produce several trunks from a single greatly extended root- 

 stock, while some species regularly have single, isolated trunks. Species of the 

 latter form have been readily admitted to be trees. Those forming clusters of 

 very large trunks have, on the other hand, been denied this rank for some time, 

 even though the trunks were otherwise tree-like. For practical purposes, how- 

 ever, they certainly are trees. A striking and valuable cultural feature of the 

 willows is their remarkable vitality, which enables them to grow persistently 

 from cut stumps and easily from pieces of branches or roots. Through this qual- 

 ity some of the foreign willow trees have been pollarded for centuries, the shoots 

 being used for coarse baskets and other economic purposes. 



The willows are swamp or moist-ground species, finding their habitat from 

 sea level to an elevation of 10,000 or more feet. 



Willow wood is soft, light, usually brittle but firm, commonly pale brown, 

 tinged with red ; the heartwood of some species is very durable when exposed 

 to water or earth. It has various minor economic uses, especially for cricket 

 and ball bats and for gunpowder and charcoal. The greatest commercial use- 

 fulness of willows appears to have come mainly through the manufacture of 

 baskets and furniture from shoots or rods produced in one season. Some of 

 the tree willows produce moderately large, clear trunks, which would yield 

 lumber, but as a rule their boles are of poor form for saw timber. Except in 

 generally forestless regions, where willows and their allies, the cottonwoods, 

 become useful because no other trees are available, these trees have little to 

 commend them in comparison with many other trees of demonstrated value. 

 They are, however, distinctly important to the forester for binding shifting 

 sands and for holding banks of streams in soft bottoms where serious ruin of 

 agricultural lands may result from the erosion of unprotected banks. 



Tree willows attain their mature growth in comparatively few years — 50 to 

 150 years — after which the trunks become hollow, may gradually show signs 

 of decay, and are easily broken by storm. Their tenacious vitality, however, 

 permits them to grow for centuries, repairing or replacing broken trunks by 

 new stem or root sprouts. 



