SAL 
SAL 
are not fitting; the land should be suf¬ 
ficiently high to prevent more than an 
occasional submersion, for, though all 
willows thrive in damp soils, few of them 
are naturally bog, or even marsh plants, 
and never succeed where frequently 
saturated. The preparation of the ground 
is confined to a deep summer trenching, 
to destroy weeds and pulverise it. As it 
is usual to plant only cuttings, this 
operation had better be deferred till 
spring, when pieces of about two feet in 
length, taken from the bottom of the 
strongest recently cut rods, may be thrust 
into the ground for about half their 
length, at distances of about a yard from 
each other, their subsequent management 
through the summer being merely an 
occasional hoeing to remove weeds; 
though, at the beginning, it will be well 
to look over them and replace any that 
have failed. The produce of the first 
year will, of course, be small, but the 
rods must be cut to within three joints 
or buds of their origin. The most 
proper time for cutting, is as soon as 
the leaves have fallen, because the re¬ 
maining buds have then time to conso¬ 
lidate, and are better prepared to meet 
the winter; and though for convenience 
the rods are sometimes allowed to stand 
all the winter, it may be observed the 
stools that have been cut over in autumn, 
always break in the succeeding spring 
with the greatest vigour. The usual 
practice is to tie the rods, as soon as cut, 
into bundles measuring about three feet 
nine inches in girth, this is called a bolt; 
and if intended to be peeled, they are 
stood on end in water ; the price varies, 
in the London markets, from two to 
three shillings the bundle, while the white 
or peeled rods fetch from five to seven 
shillings per bolt; the green rods are 
generally sold by the score, and the 
white by the load of eighty bolts. It is 
only the rods of S. vimenalis, which are 
the largest grown, that are known among 
basket makers by the term osier, all 
others are called willows. We will now 
proceed to mention those which may be 
most profitably grown for their rods. 
Salix vimenalis. This is more exten¬ 
sively grown than any other species; it 
produces rods from ten to twelve feet 
long in good soil; the leaves are long, 
narrow, and silky; the tops of the shoots 
are always soft and downy, and unless a 
warm autumn allows them to ripen are 
useless near the end; the name, vimenalis 
(twiggy), is certainly misapplied, for one 
of its principal qualifications with the 
basket-maker is the absence of lateral 
branches. 
Salix triandra. This species is highly 
esteemed for white rods; they are re- 
markbly straight, running from six to 
eight feet in length; in a growing state 
it has long narrow leaves, and handsome 
bright yellow catkins. As a tree it is 
remarkable for casting its bark. 
Salix Forbyana. A strong growing 
species, with flexible rods of eight or 
nine feet in length. It is generally ad¬ 
mitted to be one of the toughest willows 
grown, but is not at present cultivated 
to any great extent. 
Salix vitellina, is not to be regarded 
as a very profitable kind, because of the 
small size of its rods; but for the finer 
descriptions of wicker work, it is pecu¬ 
liarly suited, because of its clear colour 
and extreme toughness; its habit of 
branching is also against its extensive 
adoption for the markets. 
Salix rubra is a very common species, 
which produces long and strong rods, 
but their branching habit renders them 
unsuited for any but the coarser kinds of 
basket-work. In making hampers and 
large common baskets, however, the 
number of twigs is rather an advantage, 
and it is therefore commonly selected for 
such; it returns a greater bulk than 
perhaps any other kind, but from their in¬ 
feriority the rods realise only a low price. 
Salix Smitliiana. Is a species but 
little known, though deserving every at¬ 
tention, as it produces rods of seven to 
nine feet in length, of the best quality. 
It may be readily known by the downy 
appearance of the rods. 
Salix purpurea. Like the last, this is 
a good willow, but seldom grown; its 
rods average seven feet in length, are 
straight and tough. It also makes a 
good hedge if the branches are woven 
together and kept down. 
