The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-30

deep rich soil is In dispensable. The
ground should also be moist and low, but
not too wet The deep, moist black lands
are good, but the made lands are the best.
What | mean by made lands are lands
made by soil deposited by changes IN the
flow of streams or rivers. These soils are
the natural home OF the willow.
The land should be broken as deep as
possible, say ten inches, as late In the
fall as the weather will permit, and also
thoroughly narrowed before freezing COM
mences. Planting should commence as
son as the frost is out Of the ground
and while the ground Is sim very soft
The slips should all be ready prepared
They should be cut about ten inches long
tied up i'm bundles, with the buds all one
way and either set in shallow water, COW
cred with earth, or placed In a cellar I'M
and stretch IL across the plat, pushing the
willow slips into the ground alongside Of
the cord. In this way the rows are made
perfectly straight. After planting one row
move the cord three feet and plant the
next row. This can be done quickly by
having one person at each end TO move
the pegs and stretch the cord. The rows
Will be three feet apart at every point,
and will be straight enough to admit of
easy cultivation. 1t will be necessary In
pushing the slips into the ground TO have
a thick leather pad for the hand, and no
slips should be used except those which
are large enough to be showed into the
ground without bending and breaking.
The slips should be set about ten inches
apart i'm the rows. Closer planting would
not hurt. but they are easier cultivated
when at this distance apart. and will get
thick enough i'm a few years.
AS soon as the buds commence starting,
and the ground gets dry enough, cultiva-
ton ought to commence with hoe and cub
tivatoT. This cultivation should be repeat
ed through the season often enough to
keep down the weeds and keep the ground
in good condition for the slips to grow.
The slips will probably grow about three
to five feet high the first season Some
willow growers cut them off i'm the winter
of the first year, so as to secure straight
shoots the next season. dhe best plan is
to let them grow two seasons before cut
ting. as the roots will be stronger, and the
third years crop (Which ought to be the
Sides If not cut the first winter after
planting, the second years cultivation will
be greatly lessened. The first cutting (the
second winter after planting), IS Of little
market value, and might as well be thrown
aside, or, what is better, the best of IL
might be cut into clips for planting more
land
The cutting can be done at any time from
the first of Overwhelmingly the buds start
In the spring, and should be close to the
ground. After cutting, tie up in bundles
and put into shocks, in order to keep the
sun from the butts until they are hauled
to the ditch. The bitches should be made
convenient to stream Of water, so as to
lead the water into them they should be
made perfectly level on the bottom, and
not deeper than necessary to hold about
three inches OF water. There should be
both sides Of the ditch, opposite 10 each
other, and about five feet apart Poles
should extend across the ditch from each
fork to the opposite one, about four feet
from the ground.
The willow bundles should be set in be-
tween these poles as thick as they can be
placed, and care should be taken that the
butts are even. or some of them will be
out of the water. If the ditch is wide
there should also be cross Stats to keep
the bundles from falling over in case Of
wind. The object In having the bitches
so shallow is so that the roots that Will
come out as the sap rises will be at the
very ends OF the cuttings. II the water
is deeper, the roots viii come out near the
surface OF the water, and that part of the
willow below the roots would be difficult
to peel
The peeling should commence as soon
as the buds come forth and be persisted
In faithfully until all are done, which
should be in a month or six weeks at
farthest. The willows should be placed
In the sun as soon as possible after peel
ing If it IS a rainy day spread them
thin until the sun comes out. one days !
sun viii generally be sufficient If not [
packed in too large quantities for some |
days after. Be sure they are dry before I
bulxing, or they viii lose their bright 1
white color, and will also lose greatly in /
value. Never let them get wet after peel /
ing, or they Will turn black, unless inn /
mediately dried. After they are thor
oughly dried, tie them up in 76 10 100 |
pound bundles for shipment or hauling 4
to market. The profit depends upon how