THE REDWOOD WILLOW. 



l 39 



THE REDWOOD WILLOW {Salix fragilis). 



In much of our woodland country south 

 of London this tree is not very common, 

 and, occurring in an incidental sort of 

 way, little or no thought is given to it, 

 even by those who know the value of 

 our native trees like the Oak, Ash, or 

 Beech. But in Essex and other counties 

 this Willow is often a handsome tree. 



and have ever seen a Willow planta- 

 tion in its prime will readily forget its 

 beauty any more than the owner can 

 forget its profit. Lowe, in his "Survey 

 of the County of Nottingham," states 

 that so very valuable are Willows as 

 plantation trees that at eight years' 

 growth they yield in poles a net profit 



OLD TREES OF REDWOOD WILLOW. 



and a profitable one where its uses are 

 known. Gilpin asserted that the Willow 

 did not harmonize well with British 

 timber-trees, and some writers have re- 

 iterated this absurd statement. Of all 

 the trees grown in Britain, not except- 

 ing any exotic tree whatever, the Wil- 

 lows rightly grown and grouped are the 

 most beautiful. Few who care for trees 



of ^214 per acre, and in two years 

 more yield ^300 per acre. Six trees 

 felled in 1869, near Southwell, Notts, 

 after thirty-eight years' growth, yielded 

 232 feet of measurable timber, which 

 sold on the spot for is. 2d. per foot; 

 yet the trees did not occupy more than 

 eighteen square yards of land. It is not 

 an uncommon thing for a Willow at 



