The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-26
The Willow as II Timber Tree.
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Popular Scieneel
A"d there are some trees which are de-
serving of more attention than has yet been
given them in this country. The willows,
for instance, have seldom been cultivated in
a large way; and yet there are few trees SO
easily grown, or which will pay better for
cultivation. They adapt themselves to a
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 a large return. The osier-willow is
especially useful, we know, for the manu-
facture of baskets, chairs, and other articles
of furniture, and we import it to the extent
of $50 600, 600 annually, when we might pro-
duce it easily in almost any party of our
country. We hardly think of the willow as
a timber-tree or for the production of lum-
Der, but only as yielding cheap, poor sort
of fuel. But in England the wood is greatly
priced for many purposes. While it is light
it is also tough; it does not break into sliv-
ers. Hardly any wood is so good, therefore,
for the lining of carts and wagons used in
drawing stone or other rough and neavy
articles. 1t makes excellent charcoal, es-
pecially for the manufacture of gunpOwder.
1t bears exposure to the weather, and boards
made of it are very serviceable tor fences.
Some species OF it ase admirable for use as a
live fence or hedge. On account of its COM
paratively incombusubility, the willow is
eminently useful for the floors of buildings
designed to be tire-proof 1t grows to a
large size and furnishesa great amount of
lumber. There Is white willow growing
in Stockbridge, Mass, which, at four feet
from the ground, measures twenty-five feet
in circumference, and extends its branches
fifty feet in every direction. Tradition saws
1t was brought from Connecticut ia 1907 by
a traveller, who used it as a ridingswitch.
Hon. Jesse W. Fell, in giving an account of
experiments in tree-planting, on an extern
sive scale, in Illinois, says: "Were / called
upon to designate one tree which, more than
all others, | would recommend for
general planting. 1 would say un-
hesitatingiy it should be the white
willow" Professor Brewer says: I'm Eng
land, 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,
viii bear more pounding and knocks than
any other wood grown there, and hence its
use for cricket bats, for floats to paddle
wheels of steamers, and brake blocks on cars.
IL is used extensively for turning, planking
casting vessels, furniture, ox-yokss,
wooden legs, shne-lasts, etc" Fuller says, at
groweIh incredibly fast---it icing a by
word that the profit by willows will buy the
owner a horse before that by other trees
will pay for the saddle" The basket will
low. we'll cultivated, will yield a net income
OF $l50a year TO the acre. On the whole,
therefore, it would seem that the various
kinds of willow. The economic value of
which has been hitherto entirely overlooked
in our country, are eminently deserving of
attention, and will amply reward those who
cultivate them.