191 1.] Willows and their Cultivation. 559 



The second year's outlay is much reduced, whilst the re- 

 turns are much greater and involve less risk, owing to the 

 plants having made a liberal growth of root during the first 

 year, so giving additional support to the shoots : — 



£ s. d, 



Rent and Rates ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 115 o 



Hoeing, four times over... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 o o 



Cutting and carrying off, at Js. 6d. per ton ... ... ... ... 110 o 



Incidentals, and filling in plants that failed ... ... ... ... 015 o 



5 per cent, interest on outlay of first year ... ... ... ...150 



Total £ 7 5 Q 



The returns may be estimated at 4 tons of green rods at 

 £\ 1 os. per ton (the market price of fairly grown first quality 

 rods in the winter of 191 1), or £18. 



The third-year conditions for the grower greatly improve, 

 and the expenditure may be regarded as typical of that for 

 the next twenty years : — 



£ s. d. 



Rent and Rates ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 115 o 



Hoeing, three times ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 10 o 



Cutting and carrying off... ... ... ... ... ... 2 5 o 



Incidentals, filling in, &c. ... ... ... ... ... o 10 o 



5 per cent, interest on first year's outlay ... ... ...150 



Total £ 7 5 



The returns should be 6 tons of green rods at £\ ios. per 

 ton (this being an average price for first quality and growth), 

 or £27. 



By this time the crop is at its best for quality, and it should 

 never look back again, provided proper care is taken and 

 reasonable seasons prevail. Much heavier yields in certain 

 exceptionally good seasons have been known; in fact, 12 tons 

 to the acre of green one-year-olds have been cut, but such a 

 yield is seldom obtained, and if so the yield is invariably far 

 less the following season, owing, no doubt, to the abnormal 

 drain on the plants. 



The net results as shown in the above account thus work 

 out as follows : — 



Expenditure. 



£ s. d. 



First year ... ... 26 15 o 



Second year ... ... 7 5 o 



Receipts. 



. £ s. d. 



First year 8 5 o 



Second year ... ... 18 o o 



Third year 7 5 o Third year 27 o o 



Total £41 5 o I Total ^53 5 



