Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-03-18
NToN SPECTATOR AND GENERAL ADVERTISER.

es of rich coral-colored berries, with which
| it is ordained in the autumn and winter.
This species is known In Scotland as the
roar-tree, and was formerly, as it still is in
some parts of the Highlands, supposed to
possess wonderful power over the opera
lions of witchcraft and magic; for this pur-
pose a branch of the tree is hung over the
doorway of buildings which are supposed
to be in danger of the influence of these
imaginary powers.
THE WILLow.-The family of the willow
contains many species and varieties-one OF
the best known is the celebrated weeping
willow. The wood of the whole tribe of
willows is extremely quick of growth, is
generally light, soft and white, but useful
for many purposes9 As an ornamental tree
few surpass the weeping willow, whose
beautiful pendent branches form 80 great
an ornament to the banks of ponds,
streams, and artificial pieces of water.
This tree is native of the Levant, and
was within the last century introduced into
| Europe and America. 1t has always been
a favorite with poets and painters from its
| elegant form, and the numerous associa-
tions of ideas to which it gives rise. 1t is
noticed in Holy Writ, in the beautiful lam
entation of the daughters of Israel during
the Babylonian captivity: SPY the rivers
of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we
wept, when we remembered Zion; we
hanged our harps upon thewillows in the
midst of them" This passage has been
thus paraphrased:
| BY Babylon's proud stream we safe,
And tears gushed quick from every eye.
When our own lions fallen state
Come rushing on our memory;
| And there, the willow groves among.
Sorrowing. our silent harps we hung.
For there our tyranis in their pride,
| Bade Judah raise the eXuting strain,
And our remorseless spoilers cried,
| Come breathe your native hymns again."
Oh, how in stranger chimes can we,
Pour forth Jehovah's melody?
When thou, loved Zion, art forget,
Let this unworthy hand decay;
| When Salem is remeDlb ered not,
Mute be these gully lips for aye!
Yea, if in transports liveliest thrill.
Thou Zinn. art not dearer still!
The weeping willow has been constantly
employed as an emblem of grief; it is
placed ever tombs, and from it's gracefully
dropping foliage might almost be supposed
to be weeping over the monument it deco
rates. tits generally planted, in landscal 9
scenery, at the waters edge, over which it
hangs its streaming foliage, STOPPING as to
drink. How much it would add to the
beauty of Thornrose Cemetery, if it were
introduced into those solemn grounds and
to the grounds of the Baldwin Augusta
Fair.
If the weeping willow was propagated
from cuttings on our water courses, where
it would not interfere with any other crop
i. within five years. there would be ample
material to support more than one factory
in Augusta. It is much used for basket
making and gives employment to large
numbers of persons in Holland, Brabant,
and Flanders. The baskets and panniei s
made in the lower countries are exported
to every part of the world These facto-
ries give employment to many of those I'M
fortunate beings who are deprived of the
sense of sight. With State Blind Asy-
lum in onr midst, and a county, many parts
Of which is as we'll adapted to the growth
of the weeping willow as Holland, there is
not a sufiiciency produced to employ the
blind pupils, still less to support a factory.
| hope, however, that we will not have to
wait until the trees grow before we have
some kind of useful manufacturing enter
prises on large scale in our county
J. L. P.