The San Francisco call., 1904-07-21
MEN ananMAaTERS IN
THE E0RENz ne WORLD

washington. D. C, where the best spe-
cies OF basket willows were set out on
different soils and spaced in accord
ance with different methods OF plant
ing. The results OF this research will
shortly be made known by the bureau
in a bulletin entitled The Basket VII
low"
The bureaus purpose was 10 ois-
cover a means OF reducing the cost Of
the raw product peeled and unpeeled
willow rods. and also OF improving the
quality This has been definitely as
certained- Il is entirely matter Of
properly regulating the distance be-
tween the sets in planting, care in
cutting the crop OF rods and in select
I ing better species and strains OF viii
I low. The custom has been 70 plant
I in rows three feet apart spacing a
foot in the roEs between the sets A
I far better plan is 10 put the rows only
I twenty inches apart and reduce the
{ distance between the sets 10 nine
/ inches. When this is done and the
crop is cut close 20 the ground the
rods viii be longer and less branchy,
the plants longer lived and the yield
per acre much greater. The initial
cost IS slightly higher than under ex-
isting methods. but this is more than
I Offset by the increased returns At
I present an average production OF six
tons Of green rods per acre is excep-
I tional by the method now advocated
I by the bureau eight or more tons per
acre Of better rods can be produced.
When 10 improved methods OF cul-
1 ture the advantages from q choice OF
better European varieties Of willows
for planting are added the result viii
be a marked reduction IN the price OF
the raw material and q distinct better
ment of the condition OF both the pro-
4 ducer and manufacture.
The growing OF basket willows was
F.. introduced into the United States some
sixty years ago by German basket
makers, who settled in Western New
York and Pennsylvania They first
4 attempted 10 use wild willows but
I soon abandoned these as impractic-
able and imported the purple or Welsh
willow. They grew the rods and the
manufacture into baskets was made
profitable By whole families engaging
in the weaving Their product has al
I ways been a cheap variety OF basket
since they use steam in peeNng the
rods, which gives them an undesir-
able dark color. When the industry
was extended farther west and down
70 the Baltimore district, Maryland
hand peeled rods were used and g
much higher grade basket manufac-
tured. But this country. in the ex-
te1sive use Of willow ware, has never
approached Europe. where are found
not only heavy farm baskets and re-
ceptacles made OF unpeeled willow
but market, clothes and fruit baskets
OF peeled willow, furniture, hamper:
and trunks and most artisticaliy
wrought split willow ware designed
for countless other uses. Could al
these be as cheaply manufactured
here as there their use by US would
doubtless be as extensive as tina
across the sea For willow ware II
not only prettier than its substitutes
but, what is still more important
lighter and more durable.
Another use for willow in this coun
try is found in the growing demand
for willow furniture, which has be
I come fashionable in the North. Will,
in the warm climate Of the South 4
is rapidly taking the place Of uphol
stored furniture. Good wages can b'
paid in the manufacture Of this kinC
Of furniture. Il is profitable indus
try and steadily growing in import
ance, while willow basket making ha
barely held its own in the last dec
ade- The demand for furniture ma
terial has been met TO this time chief,
by importing French rods. But thi
can be changed If our own willoy
growers will adopt more scientih
methods Of culture and market thei
rods only after they are well sea
soned-nOt soon after cutting, as
now customary