PLANTING AND NURSERY. 



131 



collection of willows is amongst the richest in the kingdom. 

 This latter tree has a great resemblance to the former, in general 

 habit, and like it, is a very rapid grower, and soon attains a 

 great bulk of timber. The willow tribe, considered as timber- 

 trees, have hitherto been much neglected, and as Ponty very 

 justly observes, " This plant, though well known as a pollard, 

 has been very little cultivated as a timber-tree, and hence fur- 

 nishes a striking instance of the supineness of mankind in 

 regard to the properties of many sorts of wood. Every one 

 knows the vrillows are quick growers, and yet it is considered 

 a sort of heresy to suspect that the wood of any of them can 

 be at all durable. There is, besides, an objection to this wil- 

 low, inasmuch as it usually divides itself into a number of 

 large arms before it acquires any tolerable length of stem : this 

 defect is to be entirely imputed to ignorance or inattention, 

 as few trees require so little management to be made grow 

 with a long clean and straight trunk." In regard to ornament, 

 this willow is not without its share ; and, as Sang observes, 

 " Were the Huntingdon willow not so very common, and so 

 frequently met with in low or mean scenery, it might perhaps 

 be reckoned more ornamental than many of the other kinds. 

 They certainly are very elegant plants while young and in 

 middle age ; and if not picturesque when grown old, yet there 

 is something very striking in their hoary and reverend ap- 

 pearance." 



Willows are naturally found in damp situations, by the sides 

 of rivers, lakes, or brooks, and in such situations are success- 

 fully and profitably cultivated ; as no other tree, the alder ex- 

 cepted, would grow in such situations. The Huntingdon 

 willow, however, will prosper in situations perfectly dry, and 

 even elevated ; and, if planted in the grove manner, will make, 

 next to the larch, probably the quickest return of any other 

 tree. Its bark is used in tanning, and contains about the 

 same proportion of astringency as the birch or mountain-ash. 

 The timber of the willow is used in turnery, machinery, and 

 by the cooper, both for staves and hoops. 



To the willow-planter we may add, that the following arc 

 and may be profitably planted in situations too wet for other 

 trees to succeed in: — The golden willow {Salix vitcUina) ; 

 triandrous willow {Salix Ir'utndria) ; tlic ronnnon osier {Salix 



