IN EXTKA-TUOPICAL COUNTEIES.. 293 



elegantissima from Japan. Important for consolidating river 

 banks. 



Salix Capensis, Thunberg. {S. Oarie^im, Burchell.) 



South Africa. This Willow might be introduced on account 

 of its resemblance to the ordinary Weeping Willow. S. daph- 

 noides (Vill.) of Europe and Asia, S. petiolaris (Smith), S. 

 cordata (Muehlenb.), S. tristis (Ait.), of North America, are 

 among the best for binding sand. S. longifolia (Muehlenb.), 

 also North American, is among those which form long flexible 

 withes. 



Salix caprea, Linne. 



Europe, North and Middle Asia. The British Sallow or Hedge 

 Willow ; grows also to a tree ; wood useful for handles and 

 other implements, the shoots for hoops. It is largely employed 

 for the coal for gunpowder. Bark for tanning, particularly 

 glove leather. The flowers are eagerly sought by bees. It is 

 the earliest flowering Willow. 



Salix cordata, Muehlenberg. 



One of the Osiers of North America. 



Salix daphnoides, Villars. 



Middle Europe and Northern Asia, as far as the A moor, 

 ascending to 15,000 feet in the Himalayas. A tree of 60 feet in 

 height, of remarkable rapidity of growth, attaining 12 feet in 

 four years. It is much chosen to fix the ground at railway 

 embankments, on sandy ridges and slopes, for which purpose 

 its long-spreading and strong roots render it particularly fit. 

 The twigs, can be used for baskets, wicker-work, and twig- 

 bridges (Stewart and Brandis). The foliage furnishes cattle 

 fodder. The tree is comparatively rich in salicin, like S. 

 pentandra (L.) and the following. 



Salix fragilis, Linn^. 



The Crack-Willow. Indigenous in South-Westem Asia. 

 Height 90 feet, stem to 20 feet in girth. A variety of this 

 species is the Bedford Willow, also called Leicester Willow, 

 Salix Russelliana (Smith), which yields a light, elastic, tough 

 timber, more tannin in its bark than oak, and more salicin 

 (a substitute for quinine and most valuable as an anti-rheu- 

 matic remedy) than most congeners. According to Sir H. 

 Davy the young layers of the bark contain 16 per cent, 

 tannin, the whole bark only about 7 per cent. One of the 

 dwarf American Willows, perhaps S, tristis (Alton), has been 



