Nebraska advertiser., 1864-01-28
Willow Fences and Wind-BreakS-
Report OF Personnel observation
in the Field.

in the Field.
During two years past there has been
no little excitement In regard 10 the
practicability of using the White Willow
(Salix alba for fences, especially upon
the vast prairie regions of the West
where fence-timber is almost inaccessi-
bic. The Usage Orange is successful
south of latitude about 40 degrees in Illi-
nois, but is not always reliable north of
this line, and there isa great need of a
plant TO all its place. While in Illinois
last season we tried to collect some items
but were not very Successful. Having
gathered some rather striking facts in
regard to the willow in central New Jer-
sey, we deemed the matter of sufficient
Importance TO send one Of our associates
of good Judgement (Mr. WeId) to IIli-
nois to make a thorough personal exami-
nation OF the whole subject. Mr.. Weld
started Oct Goth and was absent nearly
three weeks, visiting Ogle county, where
the willew has been most thoroughly
tried. and extending his journey to some
other parts of the State, to examine the
Usage Orange hedges, and other matters
Of interest to our readers. of which some
account will be given in future numbers.
He visited several farms where the will
lows have been tested for fences, and
for wind breaks, from TWO 10 Twelve
years, and reports as follows:
NV visit to Ogle county, H., was in
company with gentlemen intimately fam
liar with the agriculture of the prairies,
with the soils and seasons, the crops and
modes of culture. We travelled many
miles, and examined a large number of
localities where the willow fences are in
use. We found a few hundred yards of
fence II years old, the first planted in
ibis county, er State, some also on the
same farm, set during the Immediately
subsequent years--but Of fences planted
within the past 4 or 5years, particularly
that l. 2, and 8 years old, we saw miles
upon miles throughout this entire region.
Thus the conviction comes to my own
mind, that where it is best known the
willow is most highly esteemed. We
observed poplars and cotton wood, and
poor powdery %locusts, and the yellow
willow too, all giving way to the white
willow. The il-year old trees were
planted at first merely as a wind-break {;
cuttings of finger size and a foot more in
length being stack in the prairie sods, a
fost apart, SO says the planter. From
many cuttings two or more shoots start
inc from the ground must have been al
lowed to grow, for as the trees now
stand. 10 to IL trees occupy about 8 feet
length ia the row.
In a few r~places the trunks spread
apart at a hight Of a few feet above the
ground so that q man can get through,
but n O farm stock could do it, and a bet
ter stockade would not be needed to con
fine a herd of elephants. To make 1t
dog-prosf, would require only a little
labor and a few stakes.
The appearance of the fence is attrac-
tive, the hight of the trees being very
uniforms; and even whee the fences extend
over dry knobs and through %"slses, "
(sloughs,) the result only is to make the
line of the tops a little less undulating
than the ground line, showing hat the
willows grow faster in wet soil than in
dry.
On the same farms there were some
yellow willows, set at the same time, as !
we were informed. They had not made
nearly so good growth, and there were
numerous vacant spots where trees bad
died. They were more branching and
crooked also. One farm which we visit
ed was not only fenced externally, but
the owner was dividing up the land into
10 to Is acre lots, using the willow ex-
clusively. Much was set on this farm
last Spring. it was well cared for, and
the growth, though small, was healthy.
Here we saw no dead cuttings. There
was also about an acre set last Spring
for timber, fuel. ETC., the cuttings being
a foot apart in rows ID feet apart. The
ground has been regularly worked all
Summer. and The plants look well, having
made a growth of two and a half to
three feet. Some of the older fences
on this farm we're originally set too loose
and the result is that in the f~onr-year-
old hedges spots are not infrequent where
an animal might work through. 1t had
been attempted to remedy this by setting
some large cuttings TO I'll the gaps
They had all failed. The willow cutting
must have light aud air; it viii not grow
in the shade Of either weeds or elder vii.
lows.