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DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



to the genera Salix and Populus, all being natives of the north- 

 ern hemisphere, chiefly in temperate regions, and extending 

 to the limits of vegetable life in the Polar regions ; Salix 

 herhacea, a small creeping plant, being found on the shores of 

 Baffin's Bay. They contain tannin, and a principle like 

 " Quinine" called " Salicine." 



Osier (Salix viminalis). This plant affords the Osier 

 Willows used for basket making, and although much culti- 

 vated in this country, the supply is not sufficient, large quan- 

 tities being yearly imported from Holland. 



Bitter Willow (Salix purpurea). An osier extensively 

 grown in some places ; it is remarkably bitter, even to that 

 extent that it escapes the ravages of rabbits. 



Sallow (Salix caprea). This with several other species 

 are known by the name of sallows. Their rods are used for 

 many purposes ; for basket making they are cut at one year's 

 growth, but for making hoops they require to be two or three 

 years old. 



White Willow (Salix alba), also called the Huntingdon 

 Willow. This species and Salix Russelliana are large trees 

 affording useful timber for many purposes, the wood being 

 light and firm. Cricket bats are made of it. 



Weeping Willow (Salix hahylonica). This, as the name 

 implies, is a native of the country about Babylon ; where, as 

 the following lines show, willow trees flourished 2500 years 

 ago. " By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we 

 wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps 

 upon the willows in the midst thereof."* 



It is not known if at that period the branches of the trees 

 were naturally pendulous, or as some fancy, they became pen- 

 dulous with the weight of the harps, from which sprung the 

 weeping willow. 



It was introduced to this country about the end of the 

 seventeenth century, the original tree being long famed as 

 growing in Pope's garden at Twickenham. On account of a 



* Psalm cxxxvii. vers. 1 and 2. 



