WILLOW FAMILY 



leaves are four to seven inches long, one to one and one-half 

 inches wide, narrow — oblong with wedge-shaped base, long, 

 tapering, pointed apex, and serrate margin with thickened 

 teeth. The midrib is very prominent on the under side and 

 shows greenish white above. In color the leaves are a dark 

 shining green above, and smooth, whitish, and glaucous be- 

 neath. The twigs are very brittle at the base, and after a 

 high wind the ground under the tree is often strewn with 

 them. At these times Crack Willow seems an appropriate 

 name. The tree, however, is particularly beautiful in a light 

 wind for the leaves are so poised that they readily turn and 

 show the white of their under surfaces. The species may be 

 identified by the leaf which in addition to the characteristics 

 already given has two tiny excrescences at the base just at 

 the junction of' the leaf with the petiole. The tree is worthy 

 of more attention than it has yet received. 



Prehistoric man knew the uses of the willow. The strong, 

 yielding, flexible withes made natural ropes and their use as 

 such has come down to recent times. The modern world has 

 to-day no material better for baskets than the willow, and 

 the Romans used it precisely as we do. 



From Britain's painted sons I came, 

 And Basltet is my barbarous name : 

 But now I am so modish grown 

 Tliat Rome would claim me for her own. 



— Martial. 



Herodotus is the first of ancient writers to mention the 

 willow and he speaks of the divining rods of the ancient 

 Scythians. ^ 



Exactly why this tree should be considered the emblem , 

 of despairing love is not clear but that it has been so consid- 

 ered from early times is evident. Shakespeare represents 

 Dido lamenting the loss of ^Eneas : 



In such a night 

 Stood Dido, with a willow in her hand. 

 Upon the wild sea banks, and waved her love 

 To come again to Carthage. 



408 



