THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. tanlaky is, 1913 
BASKET-MAKING WILLOWS. 
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During the later years of the last cen¬ 
tury the cul/tivation of basket-makljig w il- 
iows declined to a considerable extent in 
the British Is’les, due partly to increa ed 
importations of foreign-grown rods, wliiih 
could be purchased at a cheaper rate than 
those grown in this country^ partly to 
boxes and barrels superseding baskets and 
hampers for varioits kinds ot agricultural 
and horticultural produce, and, to some 
extent, by the curtailment of manufac¬ 
tured articles in willow exported to foreign 
markets. The last few years have, how¬ 
ever, witnessed a revival of interest in 
willow culture, for the trade in brrsket 
work has expanded to a considerable extent 
ill certain directions, and cultivators find 
that they can obtain satisfactory returns 
from their willow-beds if the hest kinds are 
grown. 
The use of wicker-work chairs and 
other kinds of furniture appears to have 
brought about this change, whilst other 
things which have contributed to the pre¬ 
sent brisk trade in basket-work aix? tho 
motor-cycle and increase of large laundries. 
In the former case there has been a Jarge 
demand for basket-work side-cars, and in 
the latter for Jinen baskets. 
Preparation of Willow Beds. 
It is not, however, with the manufacture 
so much as with the cultivation of willows 
that we have to dt^al, for, although some 
manufacturers grow their own rods there 
are many people who grow the rods and 
dispose of them to the manufacturers, and 
other pei-sons who have the necessary 
ground might add to their income by the 
same means. 
When commencing the culture of basket- 
makiiDg willows, the first point to grasp 
is that the best results can only be obtained 
by proper cultivation, and the reason why 
so many beds have turned out unsatisfac¬ 
tory can often be traced to neglect. The 
popular idea that willows can be grown 
upon any wet ground is quite wrong, and 
marshy ground should not be planted 
until steps have been taken to drain super¬ 
fluous moisture away. This may sometimes 
be done by opening ditclies or drains every 
12 or 2Cft. through the ground, especially 
if a fall can be obtained to a pond or river, 
but in any case it is no use plan.bing in 
ground which is in a constant state of satu¬ 
ration. An occasional flooding of the beds 
does no serious harm, providing the water 
drains away again quickly; in fact, in 
dry weather, irrigation is attended by good 
results. Another point for consideration 
is the proper cleaning and working of the 
grouud, foi’ it is lifhtle or no use planting 
in dirty or badly-prepared ground. In 
every case, land which is to be occupied 
with willows should be ploughed deeply or 
trenched, if possible, a few months before 
it is planted, so that it may be well har¬ 
rowed a time or two between ploughing 
and planting. 
Planting: Willows. 
Cuttings about twelve inches in length 
are generally used to form a plantation. 
They are usually made wi^h a sloping cut 
at the lower end, so that they may be 
pushed into the ground with the minimum 
amount of bark inju^. The best time for 
planting is considered to be February and 
early in March, for, if planted in autumn, a 
frosty period in winter tends to loosen tho 
cuttings. They aro planted in straight 
liiK‘s, varying from 2 to 3ft. apart, accord¬ 
ing to the strength of tho variety used, lets 
space being left between the plauts in the 
rows, and planting consists of pushing the 
cuttings into the ground to a depth of nine 
inches, aftm-wards treading the soil firmly 
about them. The majority take root, but 
any vacancies which may occur are made 
up the following spring. During summer 
the ground is kept clean, eitlier by hand 
lioes or iby la hor^ cultivator, care being 
taken not to injure the young shoots. The 
rods produced the first year hardly pay for 
the cost of cutting; they are sometimes 
cut, however, but if very weak they ai'C 
usually left for a second year. The second 
year a fair crop may be expected, but a 
bed will not attain its maximum yield until 
the fourth or fifth year, after which time 
it will go on yielding indefinitely, provid¬ 
ing careful eultural methods are followed 
out. Every year the beds must be tho¬ 
roughly cleaned up as soon as the crop is 
cut, and should weeds appear, they must 
be cleaned again before the young shoots 
are far advanced. At least every other 
year a surface dressing of manure must be 
given. This may he well-rotted farmyard 
manure, sewage, or an artificial fer¬ 
tiliser. 
Cutting: the Crop, 
The cutting of the crop is an important 
operation^ for a bed may be easily ruined 
by improper cutting. The object in view 
is to keep the crowns of the plants as ccm- 
pacft and neair tlie igroaind las pcssiible; there¬ 
fore, the rods must be cut to the base each 
year, not left an inch or two long. By leav¬ 
ing an inch or two at tlie 'base of each 
shoot eveii*y year, the stocks soon assume a 
wide, sprawling habit, which has a serious 
effect upon the yield, and makes it very 
difficult to clean the beds and remove the 
crop. 
Some kinds are cut in mid-winter and 
others in the early part of spring. The 
former embraces those which are to be med 
with the bark on, and those which are to 
be prepared as buff rods. Buff rods are 
usually used for fine kinds of work and the 
colour is obtained by steeping them in hot 
water previous to peeling. White rcdsS are 
obtained by spring peeling. The shoots are 
cut when the sap is beginning to run ; they 
are then tied in bundles', and stood in water 
to keep them in the proper condition until 
the peelers can deal with them. 
Kinds to Plant. 
Aitnough a great many varieties of wil 
h)ws are grown they belong to compara 
lively few species, and each district appean 
to possess two or three sorts which are con 
sidered superior to others. Strange to say 
it the best sorts from one district are re 
moved to another they rarely maintair 
tveir reputation. That certain varieties oi 
lorms have in the first place originated fron 
^ specimens is evident, for it is invai i. 
ably found that a local variety is made ur 
entirely of male or female plants. 
Tfi triandra is, perhaps, the most pro 
I c in varieties, for nearly forty differem 
forms are grown. These have each theii 
little peculiarities to the exj>ei*t willow- 
worker or grower, but to the ordinarv in^ 
dividual many of them look abiolutelv alike* 
In stome oases, however, it may be noticed 
that the rods are more liable to branch 
than in othei-s. S. triandra is one of the 
most important willows for the better 
classes of work, and usually commands a 
S. purpurea is another species which pro¬ 
duces a number of varieties suitable for fine 
kinds of work. Some considerable differ¬ 
ence is notioeabie in tlie strength of the 
rods of different forms, and it is, perhaps, 
easier to distinguish the varieties of this 
than those (of other kinds. 
8. viminalis is one of the best strong- 
growing sorts. To the basket-maker any 
variety of this is known as an osier, other 
species all being willows. The term Long 
Skein” or “Long Skin” is often used in 
connection with the best samples of this 
species, and each dis^trict appears to possess 
a long skein, which is superior to any other 
long skein in the country. The species is 
well-known as one of our commonest British 
willows, and is one of the most indely 
grown of basket-making kinds. 
S. daphnoides, the Violet Willow of 
Europe, is favoured in some localities on 
account of its long, strong rods, but other 
growers consider it too coarse for the better 
kinds of work. It is easily recognised by 
its purplish stems which are covered by a 
glaucous bloom. 
S. frag'iilis is not grown very largely in 
til is country, but it is one of the kinds ini- 
poited. It is said to be grown extensively 
in tMadeira. 
S. alba vitellina, the golden-stemmed 
willow, occupies a place amongst basket- 
making willows, bub it is grown most largely 
foi’ the provision of rods for tying purposes. 
S. rubra and S. hippophaifolia are strong- 
growing kinds, which are sometimes used 
by basket-makers, while S. pentandra. S. 
cordata, S. lucida, and S. alba are other 
kinds which sometimes ente-r into the bas¬ 
ket-work trade. M . D. 
Bouva.rdia.S. —These beautiful green¬ 
house flowering plants seem much less gro>Mi 
than wasi formerly the case, one reason 
apparently being that their flowers 
big enough for present-day tastes. Perhaps 
if they bore flowers as large as Malmaisou 
carnations they would once again beanie 
popular. Certainly these last-named have 
now quite taken the place of the ^uvaraia 
as a button-hole flower. In any solution 0 ^ 
bouvardias, the deliciously-fragrant B. 
boldti corymbiflora, with its pure ’ 
long-tubed flowers, must on no j 
omitted, while other desirable white-nowe 
varieties are Jasminiflora paniciilata a 
Pride of Brooklyn. Of scarlets I 
name President Cleveland and ^ 1 
^ets, and of pinks Mrs. Eobert j 
Priory Beauty. The best doubly and 
Neuner. Bridesmaid, President Garfiel , 
Hogarthi flore plena.—^T. 
Asperula Kexaphylla. — 
able as Gypsophila paniculata for 
ing with other cut flowers, Asperu a • 
phylla has the merit of blooming a ^ plant, 
months’ before the favourite Glial 
and of thus coming in usefully mr a ^ 
when such subjects are often m flowers 
grows about a foot high only- p,]; 
are small, pure white, and 
while the neat, narrow foliage is 1 
with the character of the “Owe - • ^ 
plant is one of the Woodruff.*?- j^coni- 
grown in any good border ana 
modating enough to flourish m ^ot 
though to keep the flowers can I’® 
to he under the drip of trees. ‘ 
.sown in spring under glass, in t e 
as those of other hardy perenm 
is also increased by division m 
