The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-18
OSier willows,


TO grow oslcrs successfully a deep, rcl,
soil is Indispensable. The ground should
also DO moist and low, but not too wet.
The deep, moist black lands are good, but
the ''made lands" are the best. What !
mean by made lands arc lands made by
soil deposited by changes in the flow OF
streams or rivers. These soils are the nat
ural home Of the willow The land should
be broken as deep rs possible (say ten
inchcs), rs late in the fall as the weather
will permit, and also thoroughly narrowed
before freezing commences. Planting
should commence as soon as the frost is out
OF the ground and while the ground is still
very soft. The slips should be ready pre-
pared. They should be about ten inches
| long; tied up in bundles, with the buds all
| one way, and either set III shallow water,
covered with earth, or placed in the cellar
until needed. In planting think it best to
have long cord and stretch it across the
plat, pushing the willow slips into the
ground alongside the cord. In this way
the rows arc made perfectly straight AZ
ter planting one row move the cord three
feet and plant the next row. This can be
done quickly by having one person at each
end OF the cord to move the pegs and stretch
| apart at every point, and it will be straight
enough to admit of easy cultivation. 1t
! will be necessary in pushing the slips in the
ground to have thick leather pad for the
hand, and no slips should he used except
those that are large enough to be showed
into the ground without bending and break
ing. The slips should be set about ten
inches apart IN rows Closer planting
would not hurt, but they arc cnsier cult
waited when at this distance apart, and will
get thick enough in a few years. AS soon
as the buds commence starting, and the
ground gets dry enough, cultivation ought
to commence with hoe and cultivator. This
cultivation should he repeated through the
season often enough TO keep down the
weeds and keep the ground in good con-
dition for the slips to grow. The slips will
probably grow about three to five feet high
the first season. Some willow growers cut
them off in the winter of the first year, so
rs TO secure straight shoots the next season.
but think the best plan is to let them
grow two seasons before cutting, as tho
roots will be stronger and the third years
crop (Which ought TO be the first market
crop will be better. Besides, if not cut
the first winter after planting the second
years cultivation will be greatly lesscncd.
The first cutting 0ho second winter after
plantlng) is of little markct value, and
might as well he thrown aside, Or what is
better, the best of it might be cut into slips
for planting more land. The cutting can
be done ut any time from the lst of Deccn-
Der until the buds start in the spring; and
they should be cut while the snow is off 50
as TO cut as close to the ground rs possible.
long hawk-bill knife, made for the pur-
pose, is the best to cut with. After cutting,
tic up in bundles and put into shocks, in
order TO keep the sun from the butts until
they are hauled to the ditch. The bitches
should be made convenient to spring
or small running brook, so us to lead the
water from the spring or brook into them.
The bitches should be made perfectly level
on the bottom, and should be no deeper
than necessary to hold about three inchcsof
water. There should bc forks Or stakes
driven into the ground on both sides OF the
ditch, opposite to each other, and about
five feet apart. Poles should extend across
the ditch from each fork to the one oppo-
site, about four feet from the ground. The
willow bundles should DC set in between
these poles as thick as they can be placed,
and care should be taken that the butts are
even, or some of them will be out Of water
If the ditch is wide, there should also be
cross Stats to keep the bundles from falling
over in case Of wind. The object in hay
ing the bitches SO shallow is 80 that the
roots that will come out as the snp rises
will be at tue very ends OF the cuttings
If the water is deeper, the roots will como
out near the surface OF the water, and that
part If the willow below tho roots
would be hard to peel The pccing should
commence as soon rs the buds put forth,
and be persisted i'll faithfully until all are
done, which should be in month or six
weeks at the farthest. The willows
should be placed in the sun rs soon rs pos
siblc after pcelng. If il is q rainy day
spread them thin until the sun comes out.
One days sun will generally be sufficient, if
not packed in too large quantities for some
few days after. BE sure they arc dry be-
fore Dulking, or they will lose their bright
white color, and will also lose greatly in
value. Never let them get wet after peel
ing, or they will turn black, unless inmc-
diately dried After they are thoroughly
dried, tic them up in scycnty-fivo to one
hundred pound bundles for shipping or
hauling TO market. Tho profit depends
upon how chcaply you get the work done,
and upon the demands Of thcmarket. Good
lands ought to produce five thousand
pounds of marketable willows per acre.
They arc now worth about four cents per
pound. They ought TO be put on the mar
ket at a cost Of two cents, with good man
agomcnt, which would leave net profit of
500 per acre.
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