£912.] 



Varieties of Willows. 



911 



ties is considered to be a variety of S. triandra. So far as the 

 working quality is concerned, the following three varieties are 

 equally good, and belong to the fine-top class: "Brunette 

 Noire, or Black " ; " Grisette Droite, or Straight " ; " Grisette 

 Courbe, or Bent." 



These are of French origin, and were first brought to this 

 country in the spring of 19 10. They are of excellent quality. 

 The lengths attained are: Courbe, about 5 ft.; Droite, 6 ft. ^ 

 and Noire, 7 ft. The Courbe variety requires a damp, rich 

 alluvial loam or clay, whilst the Noire and Droite appear to 

 do well on a cool loam. Planted, at Loughborough, 18 in. 

 by 18 in. 



Salix viminalis, or Common Osier. — This important 

 species embraces many varieties, which differ very widely 

 in their working qualities ; in fact, many are not worth culti- 

 vation. Viminalis is a far more vigorous and hardy species 

 than triandra, and is commonly known amongst basket- 

 makers as a full-top rod, carrying as it does a more uniform 

 size to the top than either triandra or purpurea. It is distin- 

 guished by the strength and length of the shoots, which, in 

 some instances, reach 12 ft., and even longer, in one season. 

 All varieties of this species are very accommodating in their 

 habits, and generally do best in a dry season, providing the 

 soil is fairly strong and cool ; in fact, they will grow in 

 almost any soil, from drift to clay, and make a vigorous 

 growth in a wet period, although the quality of the wood is 

 then deficient, owing to the rapidity of the growth. 



After a connection exceeding forty years with this class 

 of osier we recommend the following as fittest to meet all 

 the requirements of the general basket trade: — 



"Long Skin " (perhaps "Long Skein" would be the more 

 correct term), when it is true to kind, is the closest-grained 

 and the hardest-wooded of all the osiers, and makes the 

 toughest skeins; but it gives rise to more contention with 

 buyers than any other willow grown, since many growers 

 who possess a good-quality osier persist in describing it as 

 "Long Skin," in the hope of realising the fancy prices some- 

 times paid for the true sort. Although a vigorous grower, 

 it seldom yields a smooth crop, being frequently damaged by 

 the larvae of insects, which cause the top of the rod to throw 



