1907.] 



Cricket Bat Willow. 



463 



Salix viridis, Fries. — There is another willow recognized 

 by Mr. Shaw as a " close-bark " and of a useful qual.ty, but 

 still inferior to that of Salix alba, var. caerulea. Although it 

 is not easy to put on paper the differences between the " open " 

 bark of 5. fragilis and the " close " bark of the true " bat 

 willow " in such a way that they can be indubitably recognized, 

 they are appreciated easily enough when seen in the field. 

 But the differences between the two " close" barks, are by no 

 means obvious to the uninitiated, though the trees are distinct 

 enough in other respects. The habit of this second tree is 

 more spreading than that of S. alba, var. caerulea ; the leaf is 

 smaller and not so blue ; and the trees are presumably male. 

 This tree is considered to be Salix viridis, Fries. 



Salix viridis is a hybrid between S. alba and S. fragilis and as 

 these species frequently grow together they have no doubt 

 cross-bred very many times. It is quite probable also that the 

 progeny have interbred with the parent species again. At 

 any rate Salix viridis is a very variable tree, showing numerous 

 intermediate gradations between the two parents — sometimes 

 approaching S. alba and 5. alba, var. caerulea so closely in leaf 

 as to be indistinguishable from them, and sometimes showing 

 very distinctly the influence of 5. fragilis. Its advent into 

 the cricket-bat willow question has created a good deal of 

 confusion. A specimen approaching S. alba, var. caerulea may 

 be described as good by the bat-making expert, whereas 

 another approaching S. fragilis will be accounted inferior. 

 Yet to the botanist both are 5. viridis. 



From the bat-maker's point of view the timber J of jSalix 

 viridis is not so good as that of S. alba, var. caerulea because the 

 wood is coarser and heavier. A bat made of good S. viridis 

 timber would weigh about 2 lb. 7 oz. to the 2 lb. 4 oz. of 5. 

 alba, var. caerulea. The difference in market value is also so 

 considerable as to be important to intending planters. Mr. 

 Shaw stated that, for trees of equal size, buyers would gwe 

 £10 for the S. alba, var. caerulea, but only £6 for the 5. viridis. 



Salix Russelliana, Smith. — In connection with the " bat 

 willow " question the name of Salix Russelliana frequently 

 crops up, and is a source of considerable confusion. A corre- 

 spondent of Kew complains that whilst one person tells him 

 that Salix Russelliana is an excellent willow for bat-making, 



