CRACK, OR RED- WOOD WILLOW. 153 



and properties of its timber. By Sir J. E. Smith, in the 

 " English Flora," its wood is stated to be of little value, 

 and that whatever economical or medical uses have been 

 attributed to it, belong to another species (S. Russelliand). 

 On the other hand, Mr. Matthew, in his able treatise on 

 naval timber, asserts its excellence and the valuable pro- 

 perties it possesses for this specific and important purpose : 

 " the use (he says,) of the Red-wood Willow as timbers 

 of vessels has been of long standing in this part of Scot- 

 land,* and has proved its endurance and excellent adapt- 

 tation ;" and, he further adds, " by reason of its lightness, 

 pliancy, elasticity, and toughness, it is, we think, the best 

 without exception for the formation of small, fast-sailing 

 war vessels. 11 This high estimate of the wood of the 

 Salix fragilis, coming as it does from one who has seen 

 its properties tested and had experience of its value, out- 

 weighs, in our opinion, that of the scientific botanist, who 

 probably had never personally examined, or made trial 

 of its qualities, but had taken, without further inquiry and 

 as correct, the common opinion entertained in many parts 

 of its worthlessness, the despised withy having generally 

 been left to rot where it grew, without an attempt to 

 ascertain its properties, or, as a timber, to convert it to 

 any useful purpose. Important as it may be in a naval 

 point of view, its timber is not less useful in various other 

 ways ; from the author already quoted we learn that, for 

 the main timbers or roofing of houses, it furnishes a very 

 durable material ; those of a house he mentions formed of 

 it, and which had stood for upwards of a century, were 

 found, with the exception of the outside to the depth 

 of scarcely half-an-inch, perfectly sound, " still fit for any 

 purpose, of a beautiful pink or salmon colour. 11 It is also 



* The eastern coast of Perthshire and Bannffshire. 



