Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-01-11
Basket WiIloY.

Basket Willow.
! The cultivation of the Basket Willow
is now receiving the attention of many
Vermont farmers, and we would recon
mend the investigation Of their culture 10
the farmers of this county. We believe
that if reasonable number of than
would turn their attention to tie raising
Of the willow they woult. find il a source
of profit; the experiment is, at least
worth tr:-;.ng. Below we give an article
from the Tribune, which gives some val
liable information relative to the cost Of
raising them and the price per ton.
We have in our possession certified
copy from George J. Colby, that he will
furnish Machines for peeling willows for
500, instead Of 5000, IS given in the
Tribune.
ILose in want Of cuttings, for seed,
can obtain them of Amory Parker, OF
w. Charleston; S. S. Webster of Derby
Line; II. Mcclellan, of Glover, and j.
Kellam, of this town, all of whom are
appointed by Mr.. 0sgoOd, agents for the
sale of the same.
Zone ofthe greatest objections 10 grow
ing this profitable crop-basket willows
has been the trouble of peeling them.-
This difficulty was found TO be so serious
by Geo.J. Colby of Joncsville, Vermont
who had gone into The business of grow
ing willows from some suggestions of
ours-that he apprehended he must give
up the undertaking, or get machine to
do the peeling, labor being too expensive
in this country TO Justify working by
hand.
Necessity IS the mother of invention :"
IT was 50 in this case, and Mr.. G. set him
self about the work, and sucaaAdoI IN o,o.
ting up sim sine, eff, ,,;:ve machine af
small co3!--say $500 for one to be driven
by one horsepower. This improvement
will greatly facilitate the business of grow
ing willows in this country, and save the
immense sums paid TO the importers. In
peelng willows by hand, as they always
hare been peeled, it was necessary to
handle them all over twice, one at a time.
which made it very slow business, requir-
the labor Of a man and boy to peel one
hundred pounds in day. With the ma
chine, we are told, the peeling is very
easily and quickly done the operator
takes small bundle of the willows and
feeds them into the machine as he would
a bundle of grain into a thrashing ma
chine, and they are passed through and
come out peeled at the rate of from one
to two tons per day.
There is no fear about find:ao road.
market for any quantity 81 willow. ii
can DC USED Tor 3uch a great variety Of
PurI mat there is no calculating the
aEiount that will be used in this country
when 1t can be obtained. 1t can be peeled
by machinery, at u cost net exceeding ten
dollars per tun, and the whole cost of rails
ing and peeling tun not exceeding if
teen or twenty dollars; it will sell for one
handrea and ttty dollars, and it will be a
long time before the market can be sun
pied SO as to reduce the price, and it
VIII never be reduced so that it will not
pay better, perhaps, than any other farm
crop. The amount annually imported
INTO this country from France and Ger
many Is variously stated to be from five
TO SIX millions of dollars worth. At
present, New York monopolizes the
whole willow trade but they will find a
ready market when offered in any CITY in
The mon. In 81. Louis and all the
western cities they are worth two cents
per pound more than in the Eastern cit
les. Two or three tuns may be consid-
cred as II fair everage yield per acre, IN
good situations and with proper cultiva-
ton. Alter the second year they will
generally shade the ground, so that thew
require no cultivation.
Willows can be cut any time after the
leaves fail, before the buds begin to swell
IN the Spring. The bark makes good
mulching for fruit-trees. 1t contains a
large amount Of potash.