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THE WILLOW. 



imposing in appearance, and seldom attains 

 so great a size. It is very subject to become 

 naked or stag-headed, by the decay of its up- 

 permost branches, though it continues to live and 

 throw out long annual shoots for many years 

 afterwards." When first cut, the sap-wood of 

 the Crack Willow is white, the heart-wood pale 

 red ; upon exposure to the air, and when seasoned, 

 both become of a fine salmon colour. The roots 

 afford a purple red dye, and are still used in 

 Sweden and in France, to colour Easter eggs. 



The Goat Willow, Salix caprea, is the common 

 Coppice and Hedge Willow, which affords so early 

 a banquet to the bee. It may readily be distin- 

 guished by its purplish brown branches, which 

 are covered with minute down when young, and 

 by its large broad leaves, which are wavy at the 

 edge and densely clothed beneath with soft, white, 

 cottony down. 



This species never attains a large size, but it 

 forms a valuable underwood. In Scotland, where 

 it is called the Saugh-tree, the wood is said to 

 be much used for the handles of hatchets, rake- 

 teeth, and other articles which require to be 

 made of a light and tough material. The 

 branches also, when two or three years old, make 

 good hoops for casks. 



The species of Salix which are used for 

 basket-making are usually called Osiers. Several 

 kinds are in common cultivation, all agreeing in 

 bearing long, flexible, tough shoots, and narrow, 

 pointed leaves. These being planted for the sake 

 of their young rods, are rarely suffered to attain 

 their full size, with the exception of the Golden 

 Osier, which is often to be found in gardens and 



