Basket Willow 
 Culture 
 
 BY 
 
 C. D. MELL, M.F. 
 
Basket Willow 
 Culture 
 
 Practical Instructions for Planting 
 
 Cultivating, Harvesting 
 
 and Marketing 
 
 By C. D. MELL, M.F. 
 
 Assistant Dendrologist, Forest Service, U. S. Depart- 
 ment of Agriculture 
 
 LEBANON, PENN A. 
 
 REPORT PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 1908 
 

 I WO Copies tita:tic-i. 
 
 iAY 6 ^908 
 
 •-^ COHY H. 
 
 J 
 
 CoFYHKiHT, 1908 
 BY 
 
 C. D. Mell 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Basket Willow Culture 5 
 
 Soil re(|uirenK"nts 5 
 
 Preparation of the i^round 6 
 
 Selecting- the varieties for planting- / 
 
 Preparing and storing the cuttings S 
 
 Spacing- the cuttings 9 
 
 \\'eeding- and cultivating the holt 9 
 
 I'\'rtilizing the holt lo 
 
 A'itality of the holt 1 1 
 
 Restocking open places 1 1 
 
 Proper rotation for basket willows I2 
 
 Cutting- the rods I2 
 
 Pruning- the rods I3 
 
 Sorting the rods . . 13 
 
 Peeling- the rods 13 
 
 Sale of peeled rods 15 
 
 Sale of unpeeled rods 15 ' 
 
 Insect enemies of basket willows . - 16 
 
 Profit of the basket willow holt 16 
 
 Cost of establishing- the holt i" 
 
 L'tilizing willow bark i^ 
 
 Overproduction of basket willows i^ 
 
 Conclusi( )n I9 
 
Basket Willow Culture 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 THE basket willow is one of the little known farm crops which 
 cannot be too highly recommended. The farmer is compelled 
 more and more to branch out into some special lines of farming in 
 order to avoid competition and at the same time secure the highest 
 possible returns from his land. He is also compelled not only to cul- 
 tivate rationally and intensively the most fertile acres of his farm, 
 but also to l)ring under cultivation the least fertile acres and render 
 them productive to the fullest extent. The basket wdlow is one of 
 the easiest of all the farm crops to propagate. Its management is 
 simple. rt([uiring no machinery of complex mechanism, or a great 
 deal of high-])riced labor. Almost all the work required in rational 
 basket willow culture comes during a time of the year when other 
 farm work does not claim the attention of the farmer. He is able, 
 therefore, to give constant emjiloyment to his farm hands all the 
 year. 
 
 The reason why basket willow culture has received so little atten- 
 tion in this country is due partly to the lack of knowledge and partly 
 to the mistrust of new things. Every farmer who is eager to get the 
 most money from his farm, as well as to enchance the value of his 
 land, should give willow culture an unprejudiced consideration. In- 
 vestigation will convince him that this is a product of the farm of 
 which an over production is absolutely out of the question for many 
 years to come. There are few cultural plants which yield suoh a 
 good crop in return for so small an outlay of capital and labor. The 
 demand for basket willow rods is very great and every year many 
 thousands of bundles of rods, as well as large quantities of manufac- 
 tured basket willow ware, are imported from France, Germany and 
 Holland. The growing of this product is so quick and easy that it 
 seems incredible that the industry has not been miore fully developed, 
 or more generally introduced. There is a constantly growing de- 
 mand for willows, sufficient to take care of a largely increased 
 production. 
 
 SOIL REQUIREMENTS. 
 
 One of the first considerations in the cultivation of basket willows 
 is the selection of the proper soil. Willows do not thrive in all soils. 
 Though they do not require a wet soil, as is often supposed, they do 
 
6 • 
 
 require one which is permanently moist. Soil which produces a 
 good crop of wheat may also yield a fair crop of basket willows 
 when properly managed. It is best to select moderately loose, moist, 
 loamy sand land. The loam contains the necessary nourishment for 
 the plants and retains the moisture, while the sand mixed with loam 
 keeps the soil loose and the roots can penetrate quickly and easily in 
 all directions. Areas which are low and swampy or subject to fre- 
 quent flooding must be drained so that the water does not stagnate 
 or the soil become spur. The soil should be deep, with a water level 
 preferably not over 6 feet below the surface. 
 
 It was formerly supposed that basket willow growing could not 
 be profitable on land having a high rental value. It has been shown 
 conclusively, however, that basket willows grown under intensive 
 management and in rich soil yield a return equal to or greater than 
 that of most farm crops. On the other hand, very poor soil may be 
 planted with basket willows, provided the proper varieties are select- 
 ed and the soil is sufiiciently fertilized and irrigated. One cannot 
 grow basket willows successfully on dry, shallow soil or on perman- 
 ently wet and boggy peat land. Locations where frosts are liable 
 to occur during the growing season should be avoided since the tops 
 of the tender young shoots are easily injured. 
 
 PREPARATION OF THE GROUND. 
 
 . Draining, wherever necessary, must be attended to at once. The 
 drains should be straight and open from the lowest part of the 
 ground, giving them a depth of two or three feet, according to the 
 conditions. They should be about 5 yards apart in wet, and ten 
 yards in moderately wet ground. The land should be plowed as 
 deep as possible in the fall prior to planting in the following spring. 
 The object of the deep plowing is to turn the top layer of the soil 
 completely under and in this way bury the weed seeds in the surface 
 soil so deep that they cannot spring up during the following season. 
 The soil does not settle or become compact during the first winter, 
 but becomes thoroughly pulverized by repeated freezing and thaw- 
 ing. The depth to which the soil should be turned depends some- 
 what on the soil and subsoil. For a sandy soil, which is naturally 
 loose and porous, a digging of 10 to 12 inches is sufficient. Where 
 the soil is compact and contains heavy clay a digging of 15 to 18 
 inches is necessary. Prior to plowing, the area should be thoroughly 
 cleaned of all its rubbish and weeds. It is advisable to plant the area 
 to potatoes the year before willows are planted, so that the soil be- 
 comes thoroughly pulverized during the cultivation and digging of 
 
this crnp. It is essential iliat weeds are ke])t down, and tlieref<:)re 
 thev nuist not be allowed lo come to seed. 
 
 In IcK'ations where the soil is poor it is best to spread well-rotted 
 stable manure over the surface just before plowing. Lime is recom- 
 mended for soil which is chiefly composed of sand. 
 
 SKiJ-xriNc, Till". \ akii:tii-:s i'or im.a.ntinc.. 
 
 Too much care cannot he exercised in the selection of the varieties 
 for jilanting. A great many kinds of basket willows have been in- 
 troduced into this country from Europe, but only a few have proved 
 worthy of cultivation. Those most commonly jilanted in the L'nited 
 States are American green. Welsh, Lemley, and common white. It 
 is not always wise to plant extensively the most highly recommend- 
 ed varieties until they have been tested on the particular area to be 
 planted. Each variety has its special requirements and unless the 
 soil constituents and soil moisture are definitely known great care is 
 required in the selection. 
 
 Sali.v aiiiygdalvna — American green. This willow requires a 
 moderately rich sandy loam, in which it frequently produces rods 
 from 8 to lO feet high in a single season. The rods, although heavy 
 at the base, grow very tall, straight, and flexible. It produces a 
 higher yield in weight per acre than any other variety and is often 
 considered the most profitable for general use. 
 
 Salix ['urpurca — Welsh. This willow grows in a great variety of 
 soils, and produces rods of excellent quality. In rich loam it crops 
 heavily and the rods grow very slender, straight, and cylindrical. 
 and seldom produce side branches. The Welsh yields less in bulk 
 per acre than the American green, and surpasses it in market value 
 and in the quality of the rods. This willow^ has the highest specific 
 weight. For planting along shallow river banks, where ice or high 
 water is apt to do some damage, this willow^ recommends itself more 
 particularly than any other. 
 
 Salix priiinosa acutifolia — Lemley. which is also known as Casp- 
 ian willow, is a good cropper in rich, fresh loam. L'nless the stools 
 of this variety are planted close the rods develop side branches near 
 the top, especially during the first few years of the life of the holt. 
 Lemley has been reported to thrive very well in loose, sandy soil 
 with a moist loamy subsoil. It demands a very rich soil when the 
 rods are cut ofif every year. 
 
 Salix z'iininalis — Common white. This willow has been planted 
 rather extensively and with good results in some sections of the 
 United States. It produces a great many new shoots every year, and 
 
8 
 
 the rods are extremely tough and almost perfectly white after peel- 
 ing. By correct handling the holt may last many years with only a 
 slight decrease in the crop as the stools become older. This willow 
 thrives in a great variety of soils but demands a considerable degree 
 of soil moisture. 
 
 Sali.v purpurea viminalis — Blend willow. This is one of the earl- 
 iest and best basket willows cultivation in North Germany and is 
 now introduced here with success. It produces beautiful, slender, 
 and branchless rods which are both smooth and cylindrical. The 
 first year's rods are generally curved at the base, but the second year 
 and thereafter they grow up straight. The pith is considerably 
 smaller than in those of the Welsh, and the rods are more flexible. 
 There is no basket willow which produces more rods per stool than 
 this one. The stock is valued very highly both in the peeled and un- 
 peeled conditions. The blend willow thrives in rich, sandy loam 
 with a moderate degree of moisture, but it does not grow in wet soil. 
 
 Salix Americana — American willow. This willow is said to have 
 had its origin in the United States and has been cultivated in eastern 
 Germany for a number of years. It has large and glossy leaves and 
 a pinkish stem. The rods are smooth and slender and are considered 
 among the best for the production of peeled stock from which the 
 best grade of wicker work is made. The American willow is seldom 
 attacked by insects, and for this reason may prove to be the basket 
 willow of the future. It requires a moderately rich, moist soil. 
 
 There are other varieties yielding good results only in limited sec- 
 tions of the country where local conditions are favorable. It is im- 
 portant to select varieties possessing the most desirable qualities and 
 at the same time fitting the local soil and climatic conditions. Those 
 above mentioned usually give the best results in this country. 
 
 Many common names are used for the same varieties of willow in 
 various parts of the country. This confusion of vernacular names 
 is unfortunate and an attempt is made here to give the name most 
 generally used for each variety. 
 
 PREPARING AND STORING THE CUTTINGS. 
 
 Basket willows are propagated on a commercial scale wholly by 
 cuttings. The best time to prepare the cuttings is during the last 
 half of February or the first half of March. It is best to select them 
 from the shoots of the most thrifty stools and only from one-year- 
 old rods. It has been the experience of a great many growers that 
 cuttings of one-year-old rods produce roots and shoots more quick- 
 ly and easily than cuttings from older wood or from rods cut from 
 
9 
 weak stools. Althous^li it is j^onerally atlvisablcj to have the cuttings 
 prei)are<l just before plantiiiL;'. tiiey may l)e cut in advance and stored 
 until needed. It is best to store them in a barn where it is neither 
 too moist nor too dry. They should be partially buried in moderate- 
 ly moist sand, with the buds pointing- upwards. 
 
 The cuttings should be of equal lengths for a given soil and site. 
 For ordinary conditions, where the soil is moderately moist and 
 porous, 8 or lo inches is sufficiently long. Where the water level is 
 rather deep the cuttings may be made 12 inches long. The rods 
 should be cut in a slanting direction by means of a sharp pocket 
 knife. Cutting should not be done during frosty weather. 
 
 Plant early in the spring as soon as the frost is out of the soil. 
 The ground should be prepared the preceding fall. The cuttings 
 may be planted in holes made with a dibble, which consists pf an iron 
 rod about 18 inches long and ^ of an inch in diameter sharpened at 
 the lower end, while at the upper end a convenient handle may be 
 attached. By means of this a hole may be made in the ground ren- 
 dering it easy to push in the cutting to within one inch of the top. 
 Care should be taken to have the buds on the cuttings point upwards. 
 
 Nothing adds more to the neat appearance of a holt than accur- 
 ate planting. Cuttings should be set in straight lines in both direc- 
 tions. 
 
 SPACING THE CUTTIXGS. 
 
 The best spacing is still a matter of dispute among a number of 
 growers in this country. European growers have passed the experi- 
 mental stage and adopted the system of close spacing, which will 
 sooner or later come into general practice here. Most species may 
 be planted in rows 18 inches apart and 8 inches apart in the row. 
 For small-leaved varieties, such as the purple, it is better to plant 
 in rows 15 inches apart and 6 inches apart in the rows. The ad- 
 vantages of close spacing compared with wide spacing are as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 (a) The rods grow straight, cylindrical, and branchless, (b) 
 The yield per unit area is larger than in wide spacing, (c) The 
 area becomes fully stocked and the soil remains moist, since the 
 dense crown cover i)revents the sun's rays from drying out the soil, 
 (d) Weeds are choked out in the dense shade after the second year. 
 
 WEEDING AND CULTIVATING THE HOLT. 
 
 Weeds must be kept out of the holt from the start. This may be 
 done at a moderate cost if they are carefully checked during the first 
 
lO 
 
 two years. After the second year thfe weeds will be choked out by 
 the dense shade of the willows. The weed seed should not be allow- 
 ed to ripen. Wild morning glories are very troublesome in a great 
 many localities and unless they are pulled up before the seed matures 
 the holt will be over run in a few years. The vines of this weed 
 twine about the young shoots and in many cases render them useless. 
 Dodder, or wrap as it is commonly called, is another persistent pest 
 in holts where drainage is not well regulated, or where the area is 
 completely flooded during the growing season. After these two 
 weeds have taken complete foothold in a field of willows it will be 
 next to impossible to grow a profitable crop. The number of times 
 the holt must be weeded and hoed during the first two years depends 
 entirely upon the character of the ground and its preparation prior 
 to planting. In moist, rich loam weeds are more apt to be trouble- 
 some than in moist sand land and, therefore, must receive consider- 
 ably more attention. A thorough hoeing is necessary early in the 
 spring. It is best to hoe out all the weeds between the rows, and a 
 few days later those between the stools in the rows may be pulled 
 up by hand. This should be repeated as often as necessary. Too 
 much attention cannot be paid to keeping the holt clean from weeds. 
 Where holts are large and labor high it may be advisable to use a 
 small horse cultivator, but great care must be taken not to ruin the 
 stools by allowing the cultivator to strike them, or to break off the 
 young shoots. This will not dispense with the hoeing and weeding 
 between the stools in the rows. The soil may in this way be broken 
 up and pulverized to the depth of from 2 to 4 inches, depending 
 upon the nature of the soil. Great care should be exercised not to 
 break up the soil too deep since this would injure the roots of the 
 willows. In some cases the roots are disturbed slightly by ordinary 
 cultivation, but this injury is compensated for in a great measure by 
 the vigor imparted to the willows through loosening and pulverizing 
 the soil and killing the weeds. In locations where the soil is well 
 drained the root system is deep and very little injury results from 
 cultivating. A willow plantation in which the stools are set in regu- 
 lar rows and in which all troublesome weeds are kept out, presents 
 a very attractive appearance. 
 
 FERTILIZING THE HOLT. 
 
 Where the soil is poor one should fertilize before planting as if it 
 were intended for wheat or corn. Well-rotted stable manure, wood 
 ash, and gypsum and lime are all excellent fertilizers, and should be 
 spread on the land prior to plowing. It is a very good plan to ferti- 
 
1 1 
 
 lizc an area ihorouL^lily and then first sdw cK)Vfr. alfalfa, or same 
 other lei^unie, wliicli >h(>nl(l be allowed to gTOvv up. This crop may 
 then be plowed under, which will not only serve a.s a very g-ood 
 fertilizer but will also keep the soil loose and moist for several years. 
 Fertilizing old plantations frequently becomes necessary in order to 
 prolong the life of the holt. Well-rotted stable manure should be 
 spread broadcast over the bolt immediately after the willows have 
 been cut. Great care should be taken to use manure free from weed 
 seeds. Fertilizers containing phosphoric acid are very highly recom- 
 mended. The quality of the rod in old plantations is considerably 
 improved when this fertilizer is used. 
 
 \ 11 A LIT \' OF rm-: holt. 
 
 The length of time during which a willow plantation yields a 
 profitaible return to the owner depends upon a number of things : 
 variety, soil, drainage, climate, preparation of the ground, fertiliz- 
 ing, irrigation, or soil moisture, care and cultivation of the holt, 
 manner of cutting the shoots, and the protection of the holt from 
 winds, animals, or insects. The duration can be easily prophesied 
 when one is familiar with these factors. Under favorable conditions 
 a holt should last irom i8 to 25 years. As soon as the production is 
 considerably diminished on account of the loss of vitality in the 
 mother stools, it becomes necessary to grub them up. A crop of 
 corn or wheat should then be raised on the area before it is again 
 planted to willows, but it is best to select a different variety of wil- 
 low from the one originally grown in the holt. 
 
 It is claimed by expert growers that the profitable life of a holt 
 may be increased by allowing the willows now and then to grow for 
 two years without cutting them. 
 
 RESTOCKING OPEN PLACES. 
 
 Although willow growers realize that it is absolutely necessary to 
 plant in places where stools are missing, they very seldom attend to 
 it with sufficient care. The vitality and productiveness of the holt 
 depend largely upon the proper replacing of dead and decrepit stools 
 with vigorous new shoots. Every year a number of stools die from 
 insect and fungous diseases, or from injuries inflicted while cultivat- 
 ing the holt. Stagnant water or an insufficient amount of soil mois- 
 ture frequently causes stools to die. It is best to grub up all the un- 
 productive stools every year and plant in their places thrifty new 
 shoots. This may take place any time from late fall until the middle 
 of April. For this purpose ordinary short cuttings should not be 
 
12 
 
 used, ibnt entire one-year-old rods, which must be vigorous and 
 branchless. The shoots should be forced into the ground as deep as 
 possible. Cuttings require more time to sprout in the spring than 
 the neighboring older stools which already have fully developed 
 root systems, and in order to prevent the shoots of new cuttings 
 from being over-topped and choked out, long rods are planted. Rods 
 used in restocking open places must be free from branches so that 
 they are not swayed and twisted too much by the wind, which would 
 interfere with their root development. 
 
 PROPER ROTATION FOR BASKET WILLOWS. 
 
 After a number of years the rods show a diminished height 
 growth even in the best regulated holts. This is the first sign of the 
 deterioration of the stools, or of an insufficient supply of soil mois- 
 ture. It is often a waste of time and labor to attempt to revive an 
 old holt after it has shown marked signs of diminished yield. A 
 young holt gives better returns and it pays to grub up the old stool 
 early and seed the area to wheat, corn, or potatoes. After several 
 years the area may again be planted to willows. Proper rotation 
 should not only be practiced with the ordinary farm crop, but also 
 with the different varieties of willows. The Welsh may be followed 
 by the American green. The most experienced willow growers in 
 Europe find it most profitable to rotate the crop every 12 or 15 
 years, depending upon the soil and variety of willow. 
 
 CUTTING THE RODS. 
 
 The rods may be cut as soon as the wood has fully matured and 
 the leaves have fallen. As a rule, rods are cut in this country during 
 February and March, but they may be harvested any time between 
 the end of October and the middle of March. If cut after the sap 
 rises, the stools suffer from loss of sap and the shoots themselves 
 become less valua'ble. Rods intended to be dried with the bark on 
 should be harvested during December and January. 
 
 It is very essential to cut the rods close to the stool. This will 
 aid a great deal in keeping the stools low. A very objectionable fea- 
 ture in a poorly managed willow holt consists in high stools. As a 
 rule, stools heave considerably in rather moist soil, and where 
 careless cutting" is practiced they are apt to become especially high. 
 It is best to use a short-bladed knife, shaped somewhat like a sickle, 
 which should be kept very sharp. The cutting stroke must be clean 
 and decisive. Each rod should be held tightly in the left hand and 
 cut by a single stroke. 
 
13 
 
 I-KIXINC I' I II". RODS. 
 
 A certain percentage of the roils of all varieties of basket willow.s 
 and under all methods of management develo]) side branches. If 
 the grower does not care to separate the l)ranched from the un- 
 branched rods, pruning is most conveniently done just before cutting 
 them. A very sharp, sickle-shaped knife is used for this ])urpose. 
 Care should be taken to shave off the branches as close to the rod as 
 possible. It is often advisable, however, to separate the branched 
 from the unbranched rods, and when this is done considerable is 
 gained by pruning after cutting, since it is nuich (juicker and easier 
 to sort the branched from the unl)ranche(l rods l)efore than after 
 pruning. 
 
 SORTING THE RODS. 
 
 The rods are sorted in four height classes immediately after cut- 
 ting. This is commonly known as drafting and consists in sorting 
 the rods according to sizes by means of a measuring stick placed 
 upright on the side of a barrel in which rods are stood on end. They 
 are then removed according to their height, the tallest first. 
 
 When the rods are intended for peeling they must be tied firmly 
 in bundles of convenient size and weight (about 40 pounds) and 
 placed standing on their butts in water to the depth of 4 or 6 inches. 
 These bundles must be firmly fixed in position so as not to be dis- 
 turbed by the wind. In this shallow pond, which is commonly called 
 a pit, a rack must be arranged to keep the bundles upright and 
 secure. The rods must remain in this position until the sap rises 
 and they begin to sprout. They are then ready to be peeled. 
 
 If they are to be used green or with the bark on, they must be set 
 up thinly and loosely on the butts in any dry place until the sap has 
 left them. As soon as they dry they must be put under cover, pre- 
 ferably in a place where the moisture is uniform. Tbey may be sort- 
 ed either before or after they are dry, but they should not be tied 
 into bundles until they are thoroug'hly dried and carefully sorted. 
 Tie the bundles firmly and securely. In cases where the rods are 
 long, it is advisable to sort them into 5 grades, and great care should 
 be exercised to have the rods in each bundle as nearly uniform in 
 length as possible. 
 
 PEELING THE RODS. 
 
 Two methods are employed in the preparation of rod's for peeling, 
 both quite simple. In one case the rods are placed in a pit contain- 
 ing 4 or 6 inches of water as above described and left there until the 
 
14 
 sap is up and the bark can be easily removed. This is known as sap 
 peeHng". The other me'thod, commonly referred to as steam peeling, 
 consists in steaming or .boiling the rods imtil the bark is loose and 
 readily comes off. 
 
 In the ordinary method of sap peeling, the rods remain almost 
 pure white. The apparatus for peeling consists of a round steel rod 
 from ^ to 5^ of an inch in diameter and about 4 feet long, which is 
 doubled over so that the two ends are brought together making a 
 double rod 2 feet long. This instrument is known as a brake, and 
 there are a great many different designs. The lower or welded end 
 of the parallel rods must be inserted in a log placed at a convenient 
 height. The brake must be perpendicular and have the upper ends 
 of the prongs sl'ightly curved out one inch from the top so that the 
 rods can easily be put in the brake. The operator places the thick 
 end of the rod between the prongs of the brake and draws it to- 
 wards him and the bark is at once separated from the wood. The 
 small end is then treated in a simikr way which completes the peel- 
 ing. 
 
 The white peeled rods should be bleached quickly in the sun and 
 thoroughly dried in the open air, after which they s'hould be stored 
 in a dry, dark place. When thoroughly dry, they must be tied in 
 t'undles about 3 or 4 feet in circumference at the base, three bands 
 to each bundle, one near each end and the third in the middle. The 
 rods in the bundle must all be as nearly parallel as possible. It is a 
 good plan to place a small armfull of rods in the middle of the bun- 
 dle, so that the ends extend out about one foot beyond the bottom 
 and tie it in this state. By lifting the bundle a few times, and letting 
 it fall on its base on the iground, the protruding butts act as wedge 
 and tighten the bundle. 
 
 Rods peeled by using boiling water or steam ,are known as buff 
 in dis'tinction from white rods peeled in the ordinary way. In the 
 process of bdiling, the coloring matter or tannin in the bark stains 
 the willow a buff color. White rods are used almost exclusively for 
 high grade wicker work, but it is often claimed that steam-peeled 
 rods are the .more durable. 
 
 Andther method of preparing the rods for sap peeling is coming 
 into use. They are cut and sorted in the usual way and placed in a 
 steam-heated room having a temperature as nearly as possible at 
 summer heat. The bundles are stood upright on a dirt floor of thor- 
 oughly saturated clayey loam. This serves the same purpose as a 
 pit for storing rods preparatory for sap peeling in the spring. When 
 
15 
 
 rods arc thus treated after tiie first <d" January tliey he.^in ti) s])ri)ut 
 and are read}' for peeling- in a very short time. 
 
 SAi.i". oi' i'i:i:i.i:i) kods. 
 
 The price of willow rods depends upon quality and size. The sale 
 value of the same quality varies, however, in the dilTerent sections 
 of the countr}-. I'he i^rowcr may be able to sell his rods to basket 
 makers in the neighborhood, and thus can otYer them for less than 
 those who have to ship to a distant market. It is always advisable 
 for gTOwers to tind market for their stock with local manufacturers 
 because he \Vill be in constant touch with customers and can cater to 
 their requirementls in special varieties or grades. 
 
 There is always a gToat demand among- willow ware manufactur- 
 ers in .this country for white or peeled willows, and they are eag;er 
 to buy in large quantities, provided, the rods are carefully sotted. 
 Unfortunaitely. it is difficult to convince most growers that there is 
 a constantly increasing demand for high-grade willow ix)ds. It is, 
 indeed, a singular fact that in a country where all lines of work 
 have taken immense strides during the past two decades, that the 
 willcAv industry has not been more fully developed. Every year 
 large quantities of wallow rods and manufactured willow wfcire are 
 imported from Europe. 
 
 SALE OF UNPEELED RODS. 
 
 The management of a holt of willows to be sold with the bark on 
 ib the same as for the production of peeled willows. The object in 
 both case's is the largest possible yield of beautiful, slender and 
 branchless rods. xAfter cutting begins the operation is more simple, 
 dhaaper, and requires less time, which is a matter of consideration 
 with m'any growers. The rods are not sorted according to height, 
 but all branched and crooked must be separated from branchless and 
 straight. In well regulated holts, planted with the best cuttings, 
 worthless rods seldom occur. Immediately after cutting, the rods 
 should be bound into bundles about oue foot in diameter. These 
 bundles are stood on their butt ends. As many as lOO bundles 
 weighing approximately 2jj tons are brought together. They re- 
 main in this posittton until shipping time, when they are taken to the 
 railroad station where they may be weighed. Good willow sells for 
 I to 3 cents per pound, and growers who mianage their holts on the 
 intensive plan will experience no difficulty in realizing from $60 to 
 $80 per acre by selling their .willows green. It is always best to sell 
 direct to the manufacturer. 
 
i6 . 
 
 INSECT ENEMIES OF BASKET WILLOWS. 
 
 Basket willows, like corn or wheat, are subject to tlie ravages of 
 insect pests. Rods fhus injured are generally rendered useless, 
 since the injury inflicted on the tender young shoots causes the part 
 of the rod atove the injury to die and side brandies are produced 
 immediately below. The entire stool is weakened at the same time. 
 Promiinent among the insects destructive to basket willo'ws is a class 
 of beetles which readily fall to the ground when the host plant re- 
 ceives z sudden blow. 
 
 Some growers combat the ravages of these beetles by drawing a 
 rope over the young sdioots to shake the beetles to the ground. Two 
 men, one at each end of the rope albout 20 feet long, can cover in 
 this niarner 10 acres in less /than a day. The beetles ^require some 
 'time to cra'wl up the sitem to the tip of the s'hoot, that being the 
 principal point of attack by the female when depositing her eggs. 
 If the beetles are shaken down every day for a week or ten days 
 .during the time they lare apt to do the greatest damage, considerable 
 loss may be avoided. It has been observed that in holts to which 
 'chickens have access, insect injury is very slight. Sparrows and 
 other birds destroy a greiat many insects which attack basket willows 
 and it is advisable, therefore, to encourage these birds to multiply 
 in the immediate neighborhood of a holt. This may be done by put- 
 ting up a great many small sparrow houses on poles from 12 to 15 
 ■feet higli. 
 
 Spraying w'ith one or more deterrent m'ix^tures is frequently 
 recommeuded but none of the pests has yet been fully controlled in 
 this way. Several special machines have been devised for the cap- 
 ture of .the beetles but they have not been brought into general use. 
 
 A simple remedy for controlling inserts which deposit their eggs 
 in the tip of the tender young shodts is to prune the affected shoots 
 several inches belOw the point of attack. 
 
 PROFIT OF A BASKET WILLOW HOLT. 
 
 The profit to be obtained from a crop of basket willows depends 
 upon a number of factors. Favorable soil and climatic conditions 
 are among the first requirements, but as in other crops, an extra- 
 ordinary profit can not be expected without extraordinary care and 
 cultivation. The yield, or profit, of any crop stands in direct ratio 
 to the degree of iritensi'ty of cultivation. Farmers who intend to 
 plant willows for basket rods should not calculate upon realizing 
 extreme profits except in case where all the determining factors are 
 
17 
 very favorable, whidi they seldom are. With jj^iper care willo'vv 
 growers realize as good returns as froin any other croj) usually 
 grown in this countr}'. The profit is more largely regulated by the 
 quality of the stock produced than by the amoun-t. ( )ne ton of good 
 rods may he worth n^oro than three tons of poor (juality. 
 
 To realize the hig^he'st net returns from a willdw holt, one must 
 strive to produce rods with the following essential qualities : Wil- 
 lo^vs intended to be used with the hark on must be smooth, tough, 
 branic'hles's and cylindrical, and the color of the bark mirst remaiin 
 a light brown. Those intended to be peeled .must posses's the alx)ve- 
 named qualities and in addition should have an almost ])ure white 
 color after peeling, a small pith and straig"ht g'rain. 
 
 Considering thait willow rods with the bark on can not be kept for 
 more than a vear, it is in most cases best to peel them. Peeled rods 
 do not depreciate in value if they are stored in a suitable place. An 
 average acre of well-mian'aged holt yields laibout 4,000 pounds of 
 peeled rods, varying somewhat with the variety. At 5 cents ])er 
 pound, this amounts to $200, of which three-fifths may be con- 
 sidered .'as a net .return per acre. 
 
 COST OF ESTABLISHING A HOLT. 
 
 The items of greatest expense in the establishment of a holt are 
 the preparation of the soil and procuring and planting the cuttings. 
 The cost of plowing and harrowing depends upon the locality. The 
 expense involved in buying cuttings is determined by spacing. 
 
 The numbers of cuttings required for an acre are as follows : 
 
 Distances apart Distances between No. of cuttings 
 
 in the rows. the rows. per acre. 
 
 5 indies 15 inches <^3/\^5 
 
 6 " 18 " 58,080 
 
 9 '' 20 " 34,848 
 
 Cuttings can be bought for one dollar and up'ward })er thousand. 
 It is difficult to estimate the expenditures in establishing a holt since 
 so much depends upon local conditions. The follo\ving may be con- 
 sidered an average expense per acre : 
 
 Preparation of land $ 6.00 
 
 Cost of cuttings 58.00. 
 
 Cost of planting 11. oo 
 
 Total cost $75.00 
 
i8 • 
 
 UTILIZING WILLOW BARK. 
 
 The bark obtained by peeling the willow rods generally is consid- 
 ered of no economic value by willow growers. Although no use has 
 'been made of 'the bark in this country it undoubtedly will be utilized 
 in the future for a great variety of purposes. It is very important 
 to dry the bark thoroug*hly immediately after peeling. In this state 
 lit may be stored in a dry place with uniform moisture conditions. 
 
 It mlay be used for the production ,of tannin, w'hich it yields in 
 quantity and quality equal to that of oak bark. The tannin obtained 
 •from wiilo'w bark is used almost exclusively in Denmark for tanning 
 the leather used in making high-priced gloves. A reddish-brown 
 coloring matter known as Bismark brown is extracted from the bark 
 of Lem'ley and -related varieties. This color is used in staining 
 leather. 
 
 As soon as the bark can be obtained dn sufficiently large quanti- 
 tties by tanmin extract concerns, willow growers will have no diffi- 
 culty in realizing an additional revenue from the sale of this product. 
 
 In paints of Europe the bark of all varieties is used for fodder and 
 beddiing for cattle and sheep. I""or this purpose it has a market 
 (Value of $15 per ton. It is also used in the manufacture of door 
 mats which outlast those made from straw or rush. The inner por- 
 tion of the bark has been used recently in weaving a coarse linen 
 useful in the arts. 
 
 OVERPRODUCTION OF B.KSKET WILLOWS. 
 
 It has been said that witMn a few years the production of basket 
 Avillow rods in th'is country will be .go great that the price will be 
 qiiaterila'lly lo'wered. Present indications do not point in this direc- 
 tion, and 'it is safe to assert that under normal development's during 
 the next two decades the overproduction of raw material is not like- 
 Jy to be equal to the amount consumed. As soon as the quality of 
 the :stock gro'wn in this country is improved by proper management 
 'in the holt, conrpetition will he brought about with rods imported 
 ■from Germany and the price for home-gro'wn stock will be material- 
 ly advanced. An increased production unquefetiionably calls forth an 
 •increased consumption of raw (material and the price will not be af-- 
 'fected. At present peeled rods stU frcm 5 to 12 cents per pounds, 
 'depending upon the quality, and if they should sell for one-fourth 
 .less than the present prices the growers would still realize a higher 
 net return frcm an acre of good basket willows than from an acre 
 •planted w'i'th w heat or corn. 
 
19 
 
 COXCLUSIOX. 
 
 It is considered unnecessary to give the reader vdio is not famil- 
 iar A\ itli the different basket willows a long list of names of varie- 
 ties not fully tested in this country. Those who wish to plant wil- 
 lows for basket rodis are advised to secure stock of varieties most 
 likely to thrive best on the greatest variety of soils. The American 
 gTcen and Wels'h ,give good results under the widest range of soil 
 conditions. New varieties may be gradually introduced into the 
 holt but it is ahvays best to test them on a small scale in different 
 soils before extensive plan'tations are made. There are a great many 
 points in the cul'tivation of basket willows w>h'ich the grower must 
 learn by experience. One must familiarize himself with the require- 
 ments of the willo\vs he wishes to plant and with the soil and mois- 
 ture conditions of the holt. In order to avoid a great many mistakes, 
 it is especially advis'able that willow groovers in a .community form 
 an association, and hold meetings at convenient places, wihere their 
 experiences may be communicated to others and thus be mutually 
 l">enefited. 
 
MAY Q V901