Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-04-19
The Willow.
HOW ITS CULTURE MIGHT BE MADE
PROfI{AI;IE.

HOW rs CULTURE MIGHT BE MADE
PROFITABLE.
The farmers of this country do not APP
pear to know the value of the willow. or
10 understand how much can be made by
RAISING it for the home market. Most OF
The willow used in this country !, import
ed Those acquainted with the subject
wonld be amazed 1T II statement OF the
amount annually paid by us for French
and German willows from which we fab
r.cltp All kind, of useful and ornamental
articles.
The willow fouri~hcs in the low,
-wampv lands Of Holland where there are
plantations Of it many miles in length
lis cultivation is found TO be one of the
most lucrative industries of the nation.
Thr people OF tina, country and in Ger
many not only excel in raising but III
working this article. They adapt it as
the Japanese do paper. and apply 1t to
purposes not thought of among Us.
willow plantation is regarded by llol-
lander rs n capital investment
These plantations are 50 set out, and
their growth so regulated that every year
a crop is ready fo' the market They are
proWga,cd by cuttings, which are planted
in rows three feet apart each WAY. When
these have reached the hight of from ten
to twelve feet. which they do in about
three wears, they are ready to be cut.
| | he knife i applied about foot from the
yround, and the tWig> thus obtained are
sorted with Great care and tied up in bun
dies ready for the purchasers Not only
are ali sorts of fancy and u~cful articles
made from The willow. bat it is used rs Il
defence against the ocean; the cmhank
ments are built upon beds of it. and it i
planted along their margins to keep out
the sea. 1t also forms the bottom beds Of
heir railroads over marshv lands. 1t is
| literally the "WOOdcn walls of Holland"
Trades being hereditary in this rs in
othr" countries of Europe. many families
exist who for generations back have been
willow workers. This j. especially the
ease in Bavaria. where they have attained
i rare excellence in the manufacture OF
wiIlcw articles. y purchaser in the low
countries seldom receives Il package done
up in paper, no matter what the article j. :
| it almost invariably reaches his hand in Il
basket of some sort fine or cOar>" accord
| ing To the value of the purchase
| The French willow ware j. much more
graceful than the German. they excel in
! the production Of airy n0thin@> from the
willow twig> Everything they make in
his line, Il most things they make in any
line. has the stamp of thcir nationality
upon it. Many of their fancy and urna-
mental articles are clouIikc and graceful
to Il marvellous degree, when We consider
they are fashioned from the cuttino> Of :,
Tree.
The species Of willow cultivated in
England * called o,icr and tie spots
where they crow by The name o-icr hol,
o. "-i"iH. These are principally raised
for baSkct-making.
The story i that the pot Pope ll itr,l
tn" first willow in England During III,
time h'> friendship for Lady Mary Wort'ey
Montague existed. Size resided for ~,4n,
wears, with her husband. ut Cou~trntino-
pie, and sent him IN Offering Of fresh i~-
in Il willow basket In examining til,
basket the poe. observed that one If tn,
WIS of which the basket WIS comp So,
had budlcd; thinking to possess himself ui
4 rare Oriental plant. he carefully extract
d ed the tW . ani inserted il in the garden
of his villa at TwichcnIam. It 9rcw and
louri> and WIS known * Prpr's WI.
ew. and from this stock all thc willows IL
En- gland are sud to have sprung
similar story is told OF The Oh in o.
the willow tree in Aulrrir3
1t l. claimed tl;tt near Il hut,ir,d m,
HlnctN wears ago a Gentleman ii New luI J.
city fcrr!Vet some solt of 3; k11c from
Babylon. and observed "A small shoot O
e"'n" shrub or tree tWncd ahou, il II,
lived upon the line of the present Thir.
ovcni'r. and planted the tire" ulon hi
nrcm;>,> Il crew and tluuri,hr,l. AMI il
wv" years became quite Il tree. Il j. -ai,
70 be the first willow seen in America
The demand for willow is Il steadily in
rra in@ one and it i 50 easily cultivate,
hat il would appear Il though it pa,
ticnlarlv recommended Itself TO farmer
living on bottom lands Few crop, ar
more chcapiy raised. 1t requires no weed
me-. and willow once cut sprouts mmc,!i
atcIv from the stump in many places
, That Il superior Article can be pu, int,
he market hv tie exercise of Il little car
and skill We know for in the State of Con
ncctlcut. on the banks and bottoms of tn
Connecticut River. large quantities ar
raised, superior To any imported.
1t would be nrarI Y impossible to cnumc
rate the articles manufactured from tn
willow tWig. 1t might be made almost a
useful to I.> n the bamboo is to the A~iati
or East Indian, We're oar resources Is linn
tied as theirs. rs il is, il j. estimated tn,
: 900 different articles are constructed from
3. is shoots. The Du;ch. havin, :lw;.v, al
p We To utility, introduced The tree into tIIci
country from some Of their possessions il
the East, and found it In be invaluthlr
' We do not excel in f,bricating the fine
and more delicate articles of willow ware
but there is no reason why we >huuld not
d 1t is work particularly suited to women
, and one in which their taste and fame
| could find scope. Women on farms fire
sTuentIv make baskets for home use from
the peeled willow rods prepared bv tll
| boys, no also do The more difficult par
! Of the work, such a. putting in the han
; dies.
! WHY should not boys and vong mel
who live where there is wet ana swamp
e land, strike out and plant willow pllnta
lions? 1t costs but little to try. Prppar
p inT the shoots for sale can neither b.
: very difficult nor require much time
: Cincinnati Times.