36 Our Field and Forest Trees 



the most useful of trees, and they used its shoots 

 in the making of beehives and baskets. In war- 

 fare they carried shields of woven willow, 

 covered with hides and bossed with brass. These 

 were both light and strong. 



Pliny, the great Roman naturalist, has told the 

 world what willows were used for the woven 

 basket-work of his time — and they are the same 

 willows which we weave today. 



The four kinds which Pliny mentions as most 

 useful can all be grown in the United States. 

 About the middle of the last century, immigrant 

 German basket-makers tried to ply their trade 

 in western New York, among the wild willows, 

 native to the land. These, however, did not do. 

 They were not supple enough for basket-work, 

 and they were too brittle. 



So the willows of the European basket-makers 

 were brought to America, and planted in the river 

 valleys of the middle West. 



But although osier-growing was begun so long 

 ago, it is still true that most of our willow ware 

 is imported, and even when the weaving is done 

 on this continent most of the osiers used come 

 from abroad. 



There is, however, no reason why " willow 

 holts " should not pay well on many American 

 farms. Willows thrive on soil which produces 

 nothing else save grass — and grass of very poor 

 quality at that ; and they can be grown on stream 



