THE WILLOW. 



247 



the continent, used as fodder for cattle, being 

 collected in summer and stacked for winter con- 

 sumption. In Sweden and Norway the bark is 

 kiln-dried in seasons of scarcity, and mixed with 

 oatmeal. In the same countries the twigs are 

 twisted into ropes, as they were in Pliny's time, 

 which are used even for the cordage of vessels. 

 The inner bark is applied to the same purposes 

 as that of the Lime, and in Tartary is woven into 

 a coarse cloth. The v/ood is soft, smooth, and 

 light, and is applied to a great variety of purposes, 

 especially for fast-sailing sloops of war, and cricket 

 bats. Split into thin strips it is manufactured into 

 hats. The boats used by the early Britains were 

 constructed of Willow-rods, covered with hides ; 

 they were called coracles, and it is curious that 

 very similar vessels, called by the Irish currack, 

 are in partial use to this day. Coracles thus 

 made," says Sou they, and differing only in the 

 material with which they are coated, and carrying 

 only a single person, are still used upon the 

 Severn, and in most of the Welsh rivers. They 

 are so small and light, that when the fisherman 

 lands he takes his boat out of the water, and bears 

 it home upon his back." Boats of this description 

 were in common use on the Euphrates in the 

 time of Herodotus, B.C. 444. He says that the 

 Armenians, who carried on a traffic with Babylon, 

 built their boats of Willow,* covering the outsides 

 with skins, making them circular like a shield, 

 without distinguishing the prow from the stern. 

 Having placed their merchandize, principally Palm- 

 wine, on board, they cover it with straw and float 

 down the stream. The crew consists of two men, 



t In Greek, irajj, our withy. 



