Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-10-20


tings are to be planted, the process is
simple enough, but to prevent the
ends OF the cuttings injuring the hands
by pushing them into the ground,
hand-leathers must be used, the cut
tings must be pushed quite into the
ground and no part of the plant
should be left uncovered. This is of
vital Importance, as they will be more
easily got into the soil, put in sideways
roots better, than if pushed in perpen-
dicularly, will send out straight shoots
and when the crop is cut off close to
the ground, manure can he applied,
the land plowed between the rows and
narrowed over and kept as clean as an
ordinary arabic field. If this method
is not followed, it will be next to i'm.
possible to keep willow ground from
being Overrun with weeds and the
weed roots could not be got out by
the hoe.
Question:
How about cutting and preparing
the plant?
| Answer
Whether crop is intended to be used
green, or to be peeled it ought to be
cut Off in the months OF November
and December, and the land stirred
up with the cultivator. If cut at this
time the buds remaining on the stools
will put forth more vigorous shoots
than ii cut off near the spring. The
rods must not in any case be cut until
the leaf has fallen or a flow of sap
will follow the knife and the plant
weakened in consequence. For cut
ting close to the ground a heavy
hooked knife, cranked near the handle,
must be used, it must be very sharp
and the cutting stroke must be sharp
and decisive; each root or stool must
be cleared by one stroke, the rods
being held tightly in the left hand.
Ii any plant is found defective or dead
remove and stick into the vacant
place full grown rod, and let it stand
to grow.
If a short cutting is put in, sur
rounding plants will in all probability
smother it and prevent its growing
The cut willow is not tied in bundles
from 10 to II inches in thickness
cleared off the ground at once and if
for peeling white, they must be placed
standing on their butts in the water
TO the depth of 6 or 8 inches, firmly
fixed in their position, 30 as not to be
disturbed by the wind, until they be-
gin to grow in the spring, and the
bark becomes sufficiently loose to be
removed, which may be readily as
certained by trying to strip them with
the fingers, which occurs. usually in
March or April. Children are usually
employed in this work. A forklike
Instrument is used through which
each shoot is drawn and the bark re-
moved by hand. II the crop is to be
peeled buff by using hot water to
loosen the bark, or if intended to use
green or be dried Is brown, they can
be reared on the butts in any dry
place until the sap has left them, and
they are dry enough to put under
cover. Alter the peeling, the shoots
should be at once air-dried, care being
taken to avoid discoloration, contact
with the ground or moisture, when
sufficiently dry, they must be sorted
according to size. put up ip bundles of
from 20 to 80 pounds, and they are
ready for market.
Question:
What is meant by peeling buff
Answer
1t is now greatly the fashion to
make baskets, ETC., of willows peeled
by steaming or boiling, instead OF
peeling by the ordinary course, as it
has been found that the baskets of the
boiled willow are much frmer and
wear considerably longer than when
made of white rods; and in the pro-
cess of boiling, the coloring matter
contained in the bark stains the willow
buff color. 1t is claimed by many
manufacturers that the extra durabil.
ity of baskets made OF the baled willow
needs only to be more generally
known, to make those made of willows
peeled white things of the past, where
wear and tear is required.
Question:
What reasons are there for planting
as closely as recommended.
Answer
Two essential qualifications are re.
quired in a good basket willow. They
are lengths of shoots, with the least
thickness, also freedom from side
branches qualities which can best be
obtained by close planting all varieties
OF willows, however, straight their
tendency may be if allowed too much
room, will spread, thicken and throw
outside branches. Let any one ex-
anime a willow holt, and it will be
found that those rods are the best
where the growth is the closest, the
outside rows will he found crooked and
OF less value than the inner rows.
furthermore the.irtt year the cutting
OF plant does not put out more than
four or five side shoots and these as a
rule, rather small; they have thus
ample room to follow their natural
tendency, if planted too wide, light
and air being procurable all around
them they have not to seek it upward.
In conclusion l will repeat in brief
the following points for establishing a
good osier holt. A fresh soil, but by
no means wet one, thoroughly pre-
pared to at least l6 inch depth by
ditching and bringing the top soil to
the lotion. planting 8 to 9 inches
long cuttings in early spring, making