The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-12
CULTIVATION OF
BASKET WILLOWS
CONTINUED From First Pase.)

I $2o0. or which three-f9ths may he con-
sidered as net return per acre. This
! Is probably greater saving than tho
average willow grower realizes. but It
illustrates in striking way the pos
sibilities in the proper cultivation OF
basket willows. The value Of the land
expressed either In rent or in interest
| taxes, and the amount and cost of for.
| &tilzers used. are varying factors as
we'll as the cost OF cuttings and labor.
Willows are very responsive to careful
treatment and cultivation, and the yield
per acre will be in direct proportion
| 10 the time and attention paid to the
proper management of the plantati ton.
Close Figuring Is the Thing.
The farmer can not be cautioned too
much against basng estimates upon
extra ordinary yields per acre While
| it may be that the net return per acre
| is occasionally as high as SITS. It is
not fair average figure to go by.
| Experience teaches that the average
farmer In Now York State, who grows
basket willows on low, wet or swampy
iand and sells them green with the
$50 or $40 per acre. a fair average
yield under the best methods OF Gull
| ovation Is from five to seven tons
| or green rods. which sell at $50 per ton.
Iaklng SIX tons as an average yield
| ana deductinE two-thirds OF this
''Sioht, "HiCn ID lOSt IN peGllnE and
crying, there VIII be left about 1000
| pounds While these figures arc posi-
| Die and the results often attained. IL
| is Tar better for inexperienced grow
ers TO start right and not be dcceiv.
ed He should be conservative. and
IN his efforts to grow basket willows
strive for results that will excel all
previous records old willow grover.
claim 10 be able 10 raise, in good sea.
/! SON by using richly MANFRED bottom
taho, nine to twelve tons per acre The
United States Forest Service has sue
ceedcd in raising 22.6l0, or consider.
IDLY over eleven tons weight OF green
plats at Arlington. Virginia. Valu-
aple information upon this point is.
published one of the Forest Service
circulars. No. f4S, which gives the prac-
'ical results Of experiments on various
phases OF basket willow culture
How to Make Sales.
The farmer may sell his willows
| either in the green state or in the peel
cd and dried condition The former
method requires very little work of
me grower after the crop Ia mat ,lra
ana cut The price paid for green rods
IS Tor the weight as delivered at the
factory. or railroad station from which
| they are shipped Two systems Of
| paving for rods arc in vogue n
straight price and n graded price The
buyer inspects the willows in the fa,,
OF the year after they have ceased
70 grow and offers a certain price per
| ton, which varies from s12 to 500 On
the other hand the grower ma. ,,hi
serve that a large percentage OF his
rods are of superior kinG and pre-
fers TO grade them into height and
| quality classes. These graded rods
| are then weighed separately. and the
pest ENDS frequently bring from SEQ
~ eso- ING farmer who grows long,
! slender, cylindrical and flexible rods
VIII get good price for them.
An IncrensinE Demand
ne majority OF small growers prefer
not 70 sell their willows until spring
| when they can be readily peeled Prior
| to peeiing. however, all the rods must
DC carefully graded into four or five
heigh, and quality classes wh ,ic
are Kept separate. After the bark
! Is removed they arc bleached in
the sun and thoroughly dried and then
| sold. High class rods that arc straight
| slender. cylindrical Branches. tough
and piiablc viii bring the best prices.
| WILLOWS sell at an average OF about
cents per pound. though occa sionallv
the superior grades bring as high assiG
cents per pound. This requires a special
! grade intended for superior wicker fur
niture, for which only long and slender
rods can be utilized. The grower who
makes n study of the markets and the
general trend Of wicker furniture bust
ness II this country will soon learn
that 1T Lays best to grow rods tina;
VIII be accepted by the manufacturers
of high grade basket and furniture
ware.
AS stated in the outset. do not adj
wise any, man who has plenty OF either
things on nard TO take up his time aud
his land 10 embark in the basket will
| low growing business. but am sa It's
ned that there are many acres OF land
IN Virginia that are bringing nothing
else that can lie made profitable by the
planting OF the willows. which grow
| with but little effort on the part OF
the farmer aftcr they have once been
planted in the proper soil And IL the
owners of the swamp lands in Mary
land can make money out of willows
the same kind of folks IN Virginia r;n
30 81 Indeed, good many OF them
ar, doing just that thing.
BY the way. few willow basket fac
tories or shops scattered about in Wiz
ginia and making baskets from willows
grown in the Virginia marshes would
add nightly to the Industrial activities
OF the old Commonwealth.