Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-08-21
LARGE DEMANDFOR WILLOW BASKETS

|
The fact that Chicago merchan
| is advertising in Germantrade pa
pers for million willow clothe
baskets is pointed to by experts OF
willow culture in this country as ev
idence of our neglect of a profita
BILE industry.
Climate and soil are as favorable
| for willow culture in this country
as in Germany or anywhere else
and the m rket for willow of thu
better grades is the best in thu
world. Generally speaking, lane
that will grow wheat will
grow willows. Their cultivation is
not difficult, and profits are usual
ly good. But up to the present
time Americans have not taker
hold of the matter in earnest
though both interest and produc'
ton have been on the increase Of
recent years as result of the eff
forts made by the Department Of
Agriculture to inform the public Of
the opening which willow growing
offers.
The Germans handle the business
well. They have industrial schools
where basket weaving is taught
Many of these schools grow theil
own willow rods, cut them, ano
peel and prepare them for use. Tc
the mutual advantage of both pu-
pills and proprietors, arrangements
are made to allow pupils to work
part of the time in the "holts, as
the willow fields are called, belong
ing to the schools, and in that way
earn enough to pay their tuition
and board. They then become ia
miliar with all parts of the bust
ness, and when they graduate they
are competent to take places al
overseers of willow farms or fore
men in wicker ware factories. The
schools profit by getting much O
their work done without payins
cash for it.
American willow growers ant
manufacturers of willow ware mus
meet that competition; but those
who have investigated conditions
here and abroad feel confident tina
the American has advantages which
will enable him to compete success
fully if he takes up the business
with characteristic American ener
gy.
There are more than 100 manu-
! facturers of willow ware in thu
United States. One-tenth of then
grow their own willows, and about
Ian equal number grow part of thei
stock. More than a dozen varie
ties are cultivated in this country
in seventeen states, and many
manufacturers assert that the hom'
grown rods are equal or even su
perior to the imported. Coco
hollis pay a profit the first year
though the profits of later years arr
much greater. The average prize
of unpeeled rods last year wa
about one and quarter cents
pound, and of peeled rods abou
seven cents. A well-managed vii
low holt should average twentv-fv
hundred pounds of rods to the acr
yearly, and the cost of growing AM
harvesting the crop is comparative
ly low. 1t is crop which require
comparatively little labor, so tina
the small grower, if able-bodied
can be pretty independent in tn
matter of hired help.
Instructions for the growing Q
basket willows are sent out by tn
Forest Service, upon request, to
gether with a statement of the re
turns to be expected. The Servic
is devoting special attention t
testing every known variety G
basket willow in order to find tn
best varieties for home growers. L
the early spring time cuttings fror
all approved basket willows ar
sent gratis to applicants who desir