THE REDWOOD WILLOW, 



141 



"The use of the Red Willow as timbers of 

 vessels has been of long standing in this part 

 of Scotland, and has proved its long endur- 

 ance and excellent adaptation. By reason of 

 its lightness, pliancy, elasticity, and toughness, 

 it is, we think, the best without exception 

 for the formation of small fast-sailing war- 

 vessels. We are pretty certain that our Navy 

 Board would not have cause to regret a trial 

 of it on a long, low, sharp schooner, of suffi- 

 cient breadth to stand up under great press of 

 sail, moulded as much as possible to combine 

 great stability with small resistance from the 

 water, and when in quick motion to be buoy- 

 ant — especially not to dip forward — provided 

 it could be procured not too old, and free from 

 rot, large knots and cross-grain, a very 

 little attention in the cultivation would 

 afford it of the finest bends, and clean 

 and fresh. 



" From the superior lightness and 

 elasticity of the Willow even to Larch, 

 the lightest and most elastic of the Fir 

 tribe, we should expect that vessels of 

 it would outstrip those of Fir, at least 

 of Scots or Red Pine, as much as the 

 latter do those of Oak ; and that, from 

 its greater elasticity and lightness, they 

 would move through the water, yield- 

 ing to the resistance and percussion of 

 the waves, compared to those of Oak, 

 as a thing of life to a dead block. For 

 vessel timbers this wood requires to be 

 used alone, as, when mixed with other 

 kinds less pliant orelastic,the latterhave 

 to withstand nearly all the impetus or 

 strain, and are thence liable to be broken; or, 

 from the vessel yielding more at one place than 

 another, is apt to strain or become leaky. 



"Some years ago, when demolishing an 

 old building which had stood fully a century, 

 the writer found the large frames of the build- 

 ing orground couples, which, from their situa- 

 tion, could not have been renewed, to consist 

 of this timber, and, with the exception of the 

 outside, which was so much decayed for about 

 half-an-inch in depth, as the finger could pick 

 it away, the body of the wood was as fresh 

 as at first, and fit for any purpose, and of a 

 beautiful pink or salmon colour. When we 

 observed the mouldering exterior of these 



pieces, we laid one of the smallest hollow 

 over a log, and struck it with a large wooden 

 mallet, not doubting that it would go to frag- 

 ments; such, however, was the resilience that 

 the mallet rebounded so greatly as almost to 

 leap from our hands. 



"For country purposes RedWillowis em- 

 ployed in the construction of mill water- 

 wheels, of the body or boarding of carts, 

 especially of lining of carts employed in the 

 carriage of stones, or of any utensil requiring 

 strong, tough, light, durable boarding. For- 

 merly, before the introduction of iron hoops 

 for cart-wheels, the external rim of the felloe 

 was made of Willow. When new, the cart 

 or wain was driven along a road covered with 



hard small gravel (in preference gravel some- 

 what angular), by which means the felloe shot 

 itself with stone, and thus became capable ot 

 enduring the friction of the road for a long 

 time, the toughness and elasticity of the Wil- 

 low retaining the gravel till the stone was 

 worn away. Under much exposure to blows 

 and friction this Willow outlasts every other 

 home timber. When recently cut, the ma- 

 tured wood is slightly reddish and the sap 

 wood white. When exposed to the air and 

 gradually dried, both are of salmon colour, 

 and scarcely distinguishable from each other. 

 Willow bark is used in tanning ; it also con- 

 tains a bitter, said to be febrifuge." 



