The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-04-06
j. 6. ENCOURAGING
WILLOW CULTURE
Government Now in Midst
of Harvest

LIZ IAo1 80
it's experimental farm near Arlington,
lust across the Potomac from this
city, Uhere q, corps Of laborers in
charge Of trained foresters are pre-
pairing for the annual free distribu-
ton of 100 600 basket willow cuttings.
Uncle Sam is encouraging the grow
ign of high grade willow rods in this
and in the five years since
the establishment of the holts at Ar
lington approximately q half million
select cuttings ave been distributed
among farmers, with directions for
planting and preparing for market.
Particular attention is given to Sc
lecting the. varieties and strains best
suited to the soil where the paintings
viii be made
A Growing Industry.
WilloWcraft is an industry which IS
constantly growing in Importance in
this country, yet the culture of basket
willow in the United States made
very little progress until five- or six
years ago. Even now, practically all
of the best grades Of basket willow
are imported from Europe, chiefly
from France. European manufac-
turers compete keenly for the best
products in their countries, and until
recently only the inferior rods were
sent to America where they have been
bought at three times the prices
quoted for similar stock a few years
ago. Experiments have shown that
the best grades Of willow can be
grown in this country at a good pro-
tit, and farmers are turning their at
tention to this culture more and more
each year.
This years harvest began early in
March. Foul approved varieties are
being sent out, and only the best and
most thrifty rod are selected for dis
tribution. The management Of the
holts and work of free distribution
of cuttings is charged to the United
States Forest Service. Cuttings for
experimental planting n information
on management Of the willow hollis
are furnished those who make the re-
quest of the Forester at Washington.
Good Cuttings Necessary.
The the i'm
portance of good cuttings, a point
more commonly overlooked thar the
matter Of cultivation. Only the best
and most thrifty rods are selected for
each seasons distribution. To pro-
duce a desirable grade Of rods it is
Very important to select planting stock
not only from thoroughly teted va
~rieties, but the cuttings should be
taken from the tallest. perfectly
straight, cylindrical, branches, and
fully mature rod High grade basket
willows can be raised only by being
sure that the cuttings planted are from
parent stock, above the average.
The policy of the Forest Service is
to increase the number of important
basket Willows and determine their
value under different soil and eli
matte conditions, and as the final
tests Of new varieties are completed,
those proved to be valuable Will be
added to the distribution list.
Cuttings From Europe.
CFItfioo s nf nam and unJrIpl basket
willows We're obtained from Europe a
year ago and planted in the Services
Experimental I'LL Close ObserVa-
tons Will be made upon the growth OF
these and if the results are favorable
during the first three Years. cuttings
from these varieties Will be distrib-
uted in the United States. In case of
some varieties q much longer time
may elapse before their value can be
established.
The Forest Service is receiving a
constantly. increasing number Of re
quests for basket willow cuttings.
These requests cOIne from m all
over the country, many Of them COM
ing through members of Congress
The Service is endeavoring to stimu-
late the basket willow industry in this
country by distributing cuttings of the
most approved varieties of willow and
the four varieties tested for the last
I'VE years IN the experimental mott at
Arlington, Va, can be confidently dis
tributed. The behavior Of the plants
HAS been carefully observed as tc
the quantity and quality of the crop,
to their resistance and lack Of resist
ance to diseases as we'll as other points
that would affect the profitableness OF
each variety. The observations made
during the first two years were pub
Ished in Circular 14S by the Fores,
soEINicP. AT the close of this S1rio o'c
harvesting, now going on, the results
OF the past three years tests will he
published.
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