564 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 21, 1893. 
a drained bog, rich in “ humus ” or decayed vegetable matter, and 
situated in the vicinity of water, either in the form of dykes, ponds, or 
the sea. 
All the varieties of Osier require a large amount of moisture ae 
compared with ordinary farm crops. Stagnant swamps, however, are 
not suitable for Osier growing, and such spots would require draining, 
but not to such an extent as to cause the land in a few years to become 
dry ; for it must be remembered that it is just as unreasonable to expect 
a good bed of Osiers on a dry soil as on a too wet swamp. In the first 
case they soon dwindle down, become stunted in growth, and in a short 
time yield no return to the grower ; whilst in the second case, if too 
much water be present, the frost and hoar-frost resulting therefrom tend 
to destroy not only the tops and young shoots but also the roots. The 
great objection to a too dry Osier bed is that during the spring the 
plants make too great a call upon the moisture existing in the soil, and 
thereby reduce it to such an extent as to cause a deficiency in the 
summer and a check to the growth of the trees. 
If basket work is the main use to which the Osiers are to be put, 
perhaps the best kind to grow is the common White Willow, Salix alba, 
which grows fast and attains a large size, yielding tannin and salicin, 
while, in addition to its utility for basket making, its wood is suitable 
for wattles, fuel, and chip. The common Willow, Salix viminalis, is a 
very good Osier for general purposes, being suited alike to rough and 
to delicate work; while a taller variety,the Long-leaved Willow, Salix 
triandra, growing to a height of 20 feet, is one of the most useful of 
all Willows. Amongst others, S. rubra and S. laurina may be recom¬ 
mended. Tbe Crackling Willow (S. fragilis) is rich in salicin, and at 
the same time yields a fair amount of very good timber. 
The method by which Willow-growing is extended is by means of 
cuttings or slips, not less than 6 inches long, and having at least two 
healthy buds, taken from good strong plants before the sap has risen, 
that is, during the month of March for preference. Usually such 
cuttings may be obtained dressed ready for planting at the rate of 
about lOs. per 1000, but when they have not been previously prepared, 
it is necessary to make a clean cut with a sharp knife completely round, 
and immediately below a bud, just as you would treat slips of Eose trees 
or other garden plants. All the buds and young shoots but three should 
be carefully removed, one of them only will be required to grow, but 
in every case three should be left, to allow for the possibility of any of 
them failing to produce a shoot. 
The slips should be put into rows, singly, about 2 inches deep, and 
a few inches apart each way, and the soil should be very firmly trodden 
down against the stem. This is done as soon after the cuttings have 
been taken as is practicable— i.e., in March. During the summer they 
will not require much attention beyond an occasional hoeing, except 
in very dry weather, when they will be greatly benefited by judicious 
watering. 
However the soil of the future plantation may have been occupied 
in previous years, it will be necessary to either plough it over and 
harrow it level, or dig it, which latter plan, if well executed, is the 
best, though it is the most expensive. If there has been a sward of 
grass or other herbage, it must be pared off and burned, the resulting 
ashes being spread over the land. If it is considered that drainage is 
required, the tiles must not be placed less than 3 feet deep; in the 
majority of cases this will be unnecessary. If digging is practised, 
the land may be trenched into beds 6 to 20 feet broad, according to 
the size of Osier to be cultivated—cross furrows or narrow ditches 
being formed to carry the surplus water. If the plough has been used, 
the trenching and bedding up should be done soon after the harrows 
have completed their work. 
Transplanting should be left until the spring following the year in 
which the cuttings were planted, when it may be done without fear 
of injury. It is at this period that great care is needed to insure a 
successful bed or “holt,” for it must be remembered that the plants 
have to remain here for the rest of their life, and no amount of 
trouble should be spared in their proper planting and establishment. 
Bows should be struck out 3 feet apart on the higher ground (a good 
distance between each water furrow being about 10 feet), so that the 
rows will be at even distances throughout the plantation. The plants 
should be placed uniformly 1, 2, or 3 feet apart (for general purposes 
2 feet is the best distance) ; the larger species require more room than 
this, but in some parts of England the smaller kinds of Osiers are 
planted 12 inches apart, the distance between the rows being only 
18 inches. 
Before the plants are finally placed in the ground the shoots wnich 
have formed from the extra buds may be cut off as close as possible 
to the stem, allowing two or three buds to remain for the next year’s 
growth, but all those shoots which would go below the ground must 
be entirely removed. A spadeful of earth should be put round the 
young tree, and firmly trodden down, so as to give it stability ; finally, 
the land should be cleared up and thoroughly dressed for the ensuing 
summer. 
Flooding with sewage water, if skilfully and carefully practised, is 
a great boon to the Osier grower ; but unless the plants are growing 
in the immediate vicinity of some populous town or village this is 
impossible. 
On sewage farms, the number of which is rapidly increasing, it has 
been the custom to grow grain and other crops, notably Cabbages ; but 
the reluctance manifested among the inhabitants to vegetables grown 
with the aid of sewage is so great that consumers prefer to buy an 
inferior article from the market garden, To remedy this the attention 
of the sanitary authorities has been directed to the growth of a mor'« 
suitable and as productive a crop to take the place of others which 
are no longer profitable ; and in the industry of sewage-farming, 
Osiers now take a leading place on the list of products recommended 
to be grown. 
WQKK.foiitheWEEK.. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Peaches and DTectarlnes. — Earliest House. —When the flowers 
show colour cease syringing the trees, maintaining, however, moderate 
moisture in the house b^y sprinkling the floors on bright days in the 
morning and in the early part of the afternoon. The temperature may 
be maintained at 50° to 55° by day, ventilating from the first degree 
upwards, and closing at the latter. Fifty degrees at night is admissible 
in mild weather, 40° to 45° from fire heat being more advantageous than 
a higher temperature. Directly the anthers show clear of the petals the 
temperature must be raised in the morning to 50°, and kept between 
that and 55° through the day, with ventilation, more or less, according 
to the state of the weather, allowing an advance to 60° or 65° from sun 
heat. The principle is to get stout blossoms, sturdy stamens with bold 
pollen-laden anthers, and well-developed pistils ; then resort to fertilisa¬ 
tion on fine days after the house has been ventilated some little time. 
If the trees are in good condition, and they are brought into blossom 
under favourable circumstances, the pollen will be freely discharged, 
and when this is the case the set generally is a good one, even without 
artificial impregnation. It is desirable, however, to aid fertilisation by 
shaking the trellis daily, or brush the blossoms over with a plume of 
Pampas Grass, or a rabbit’s tail mounted on a small stick. 
Second Early House. —The trees to afford ripe fruit in May or early 
in June must be started without delay. Fire heat need only be 
employed to keep out frost at night, and to insure 50° by day, above 
which ventilate freely. The main point is to bring the trees on slowly. 
The trees should be sprinkled on fine mornings and afternoons, but 
damping the house occasionally in dull weather will suffice, for a close 
moist atmosphere tends more to leaf growth than a sturdy blossom. 
Examine inside borders, and give, if necessary, a thorough supply of 
water slightly in advance of that of the house. Outside borders should 
be protected with leaves or litter, so as to prevent tbe soil becoming 
frozen. 
Succession Houses. —Proceed with the pruning and dressing of the 
trees, thoroughly cleansing the house. Dryness at the roots will cause 
the buds to fall, so if there is any doubt give a thorough watering. It 
will not do any harm in properly drained borders. Keep the temperature 
as cool as possible to insure a long and complete season of rest for the 
trees. 
Pines. —Preparations must now be made for producing ripe fruit in 
May and June. As Smooth-leaved Cayenne, Black Jamaica, and 
Charlotte Rothschild, which failed to show fruit in October and 
November, will not now throw up in time to ripen at the period named, 
attention must be directed to such varieties as Queen, Enville, and 
Providence. Choose at once those plants which have an enlatged base, 
with a tendency to open at the centre, indications of the fruit being 
shortly visible, and place them in a light house or pit, affording a brisk 
bottom heat of 85° to 90°, a top heat of 60° to 70° at night, 70° to 75° by 
day, with 10° more when the external conditions are favourable. Main¬ 
tain a genial atmosphere by damping surfaces other than hot-water 
pipes on fine afternoons, and syringing the plants lightly once or twice 
a week. Examine the plants for watering once a week, apply it copiously 
when required, which will be about every ten days, using tepid water, 
with a little guano or some fertiliser in it. 
Figs. — Early Forced Trees in Pots. — As mentioned in previous 
calendars early Figs are best secured from trees in pots. Early Violet and 
St. John’s ripening first, and are followed by White Marseilles and 
Brown Turkey. A slight warmth at the roots is highly beneficial, this 
being furnished by two-thirds leaves and one-third stable litter, standing 
the pots on 9-inch pedestals of loose bricks to prevent them settling, 
and bringing up the fermenting materials so as to maintain a temperature 
of 60° to 65° about the pots in the early stages. When the heat at the 
roots is 70° or more during the early part of the forcing process the 
growth is too rapid, and it may cause the first-crop fruit to fall at a 
later stage. Where the trees were started last month for affording fruit 
in April they will now be unfolding their leaves, and the temperature of 
the bed at the base of the pots may be 75°. The temperature of the 
hous^e should also be increased gradually to 60° at night, 65° bv day by 
artificial means in severe weather, 5° more in mild weather. 70° to 75® 
with sun heat and moderate ventilation, closing at 75°. Supply water 
to the roots as required in a tepid state. Syringe the house and trees 
in the morning and afternoon of fine days, damping the floors instead 
of syringing the trees in dull weather. 
Cherry House. — To insure a supply of ripe Cherries from the 
middle of April onwards the house containing the trees employed for 
that purpose must now be closed. Be sparing of fire heat at the com¬ 
mencement, not employing it unless absolutely necessary to maintain 
