FOR VICTORIAN INDUSTRIAL CULTURE. 



213 



which he recommends in his valuable publication ''The 

 Willow" (London, 1871). 



Salix purpurea, Linne.* 



Of wide range in Euroj^e and West Asia. One of the Osiers. 

 In deep moist soil, not readily otherwise utilised, it will 

 yield annually four to five tons of the best of rods, qualified 

 for the finest work. Impenetrable, not readily inflammable 

 screens twenty-five feet high can be reared from it in five 

 years. In localities exposed to storm willow-screens fully 

 forty feet high can be raised. It is invaluable also for the 

 reclamation of land along water-courses. Hich in Salicine. 

 From Mr. Scaling's treatise on the Willow, resting on un- 

 rivalled experience, it will be observed, that he anew urges 

 the adoption of the Bitter Willow (also called the Hose- 

 Willow or the Whipcord- Willow), S. purpurea (L.), for 

 game-proof hedges, this species scarcely ever being touched 

 by cattle, rabbits and other herbivorous animals. Not only 

 for this reason, but also for its very rapid growth and 

 remunerative yield of the very best of basket-material he 

 recommends it for field-hedges. Cuttings are planted only 

 half a foot apart, and must be entirely pushed into the 

 ground. The annual produce from such a hedge is worth 4s. 

 to 5 s. for the chain. For additional strength the shoots can 

 be interwoven. In rich bottoms they will grow from seven 

 feet to thirteen feet in a year. The supply of basket- 

 material from this species has fallen very far short of the 

 demand in England. The plant grows vigorously on Kght 

 soil or warp-land, but not on clay. S. rubra (Huds.), is also 

 admirably adapted for hedges. The real Osier, S. viminalis 

 (L.), is distinguished by basket-makers as the soft- wooded 

 Willow, and is the best for rods requiring two years' age, 

 and also the most eligible for hoops, but inferior to several 

 other species for basket-manufacture. S. triandra (L) is a 

 prominent representative of the hard-wooded basket- Willows, 

 and comprises some of the finest varieties in use of the 

 manufacturers. A crop in the third year after planting from 

 an acre weighs about 12 tons, worth £3 for the ton. S. 

 fragilis (L.) and S. alba (L.) are more important as timber- 

 Willows, and for growing hoop-shoots. Their rapidity of 

 growth recommends them also for shelter-plantations, to 

 which advantage may be added their uninflammability and 

 their easy propagation; the latter quality they share with 

 most Willows. Mr. Scaling's renewed advocacy for the 

 formation of Willow-plantations comes with so much force, 

 that his advice is here given though condensed in a few 

 words. Osier-plantations come into full bearing already in 



