Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-07

When the European basket willow was intro
duced into this country We had become so
accustomed to see the American willow grow
ing luxur1antly by the side OF rivers, there was
no suspicion that the home of the European
willow could be In any but wet soil, and SO
writers with no positive knowledge on the sub
lect recommended heavy, moist or wet land.
The result OF this Is that most growers have set
their WILLOWS on wet meadow land, and the
growing OF the basket willow has been so unsat-
1sfactory that some eminent writers have de-
clared that our climate is too hot and dry for
those varieties of willows that are grown in
Europe for basket work. More than twenty
years ago, by chance, a few willow branches
were lett in a sand bank; to the astoniShment
OF the owner they sprouted and in one season
grew from four to five feet in height. This led
to a large number of experiments to ascertain
what soil was best adapted to the growth of the
variety of willows that had proved to be the best
for basket work. By careful measurement it
was found that In rainy or moist days the
sprouts made no perceptible growth. while in a
very dry day, with bright sunshine and the Their
mometer at ninety-Stx In the shade, each Sprout
would grow three inches. This seemed to be
conclusive evidence that 1t would flourish best
on warm dry Soil such has proved to be the
fact. on light sandy loan 1t has frequently
made growth OF nine feet inone season; with
fair treatment, in such soil, 1t will make an
average growth OF six feet. In such a location
it grows very smooth, straight and slender; a
sprout six feet long being not more than three
e1ghthS OF an inch in diameter at the largest
end.
The best osiers being those that have the least
variation In size between the small and the large
end, those grown on warm land under our hot
New England sunshine are far superior to any
which are grown In the moist, cool climate OF
Great Britain.
dices and planted the basket willow where it
delights to grow, we shall not only raise all
the willows we need in our own country but we
shall furnish the north Of Europe with what
ever amount OF first quality oSierS they may
require.
Those who advocate planting willows on low
land are reminded that because there are many
varieties that seem TO grow best by the side OF a
river it Is no evidence that there are not some
varieties that flourish better In some other To-.
calfty. 1t is said that there are more than 5000
varieties OF willows. some OF them differing
very widely In their habits. Those varieties
which most frequently meet the eye in New
England will undoubtedly grow best In low land,
but We have varieties which grow naturally,
and best, on high land, and may be found grow
ing very luxuriantly on the top of barren sand
hills. Undoubtedly there are varieties of bas-
moist soils, but the best varieties which we have
imported are not of that character.
The variety imported abb 1T twenty-five years
ago by New York party and sold under the
name of Sdtir riminniiS has proved to be the
most valuable variety for basket work; while it
refuses to grow satisfactorily on wet lands 1t
makes wonderful growth. on high sandy
loamy land When we shall learn the best
varieties to grow, and fully understand its
habits, we shall get out of the deep ruts we have
fallen into. and no longer struggle in the mud,
but shall start in that direction which shall
crown our efforts with success.
To make willow growing both attractive and
profitable in this country, we need a machine to
strip the bark from the oSierS. 1t is true that
even by hand work 1t Is good paying business,
but the Yankee Is not satisfied with slow hand
work when there Is a possibility of inventing a
machine that Will do the work faster. The work
to be done Is so simple that there need be no
fear but when there is a sufficient quantity to
peel TO make 1t an object. there will be enough
to invent machines exactly adapted to the pGr-
pose, and furnish them so cheap that every
grower will have one.-NdSsGChlSettS Plough
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