Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-15
THE WILLOW AS A TIMBER TREE.

There are some trees which are deserving
of more attention than has yet been given
them in this country. The willows, for in
stance, have seldom been cultivated in
large way and yet there are few trees 80
easily grown, or which will pay better for
cultivation. They adapt themselves to
wide range of soil and climate. They
grow on high ground and on gravelly soils
not less than by the sides OF streams,
where we most commonly see them. They
are of rapid growth, and yield large re-
turn. The osier-willow is specially useful,
we know, for the manufacture of baskets.
chairs, and other articles OF furniture, and
we import it to the extent Of $4,000, 600
annually, when we might produce it easily
in almost any part Of our country. We
hardly think of the willow as timber.tree
or for the production of lumber, but only
as Welding cheap poor sort OF fuel. But
in England the wood is greatly priced tor
many purposes. While it is light it Is also
tough it does not break into .slivers.
Hardly any wood is so good, therefore. for
the Innings OF carts and wagons used IN
drawing stone or other rough and heavy
articles. 1t makes excellent charcoal, es-
pecially for the manufacture OF gunpowder.
It bears exposure to the weather, and
boards made of it are very serviceable Tor
fences. Some species of it are admirable
for use as live fence or hedge. On ac-
count Of it's comparative incombustioility,
the willow is eminently useful for the floors
of buildings designed to be fire-proof.
1t grows to large size, and fur
nishes great amount of lumber.
There is white willow growing
in Stockbridge, Massachusetts,, which, at
four feet from the ground, measures twen-
ty-two feet in circumference and extends
it's branches gfty feet in every direction.
Tradition says it was brought from Con-
necticut in 1907 by traveller, who used it
as riding.switch. The Hon. Jesse w.
Fell, in giving an account Of experiments
in tree planting ON an extensive scale, in
Illinois, says "Were called upon to
designate one tree which, more than all
others, would recommend for general
planting, / would say unhesitatingly it
should be the white willow" Professor
Brewer says: In England, where it is
often sixty or seventy feet high in twenty
years, there is no wood in greater demand
than good willow. 1t is light, very tough,
soft, takes a good finish, will bear more
pounding and knocks than any other wood
grown there, and hence It's use for cricket.
bats, for floats to paddle-wheels Of steam.
era, and brake.b blocks on cars. It's used
extensively for turning, planking coasting-
vessels, furniture, ox-yokes, wooden legs,
shoe. lasts, etc." Fuller says, 1t groweth
incredibly fast being by-word tbaSe
the profit by Willows will buy the owner
horse before that by other trees will pay
for the saddle The basket-willow, we'll
cultivated, will yield net income of $50
year to the acre. On the whole, there
fore, il would seem that the various kinds
of willow, the economic value of which has
been hitherto entirely overlooked in our
country, are eminentiy deserving of atten-
ton, and will amply reward those who
cultivate them.