THE WILLOW AS A TIMBER TREE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1249, 6 February 1896, Page 5

THE WILLOW AS A TIMBER TREE.

At the present time (saya the Mark Lane Express) there is, perhaps, no homegrown wood in greater demand than good, sound " maiden " willow, and should the now justly popular English game of cricket receive in years to come even a tithe of the attention that has been bestowed on it of late, the price of willow timber suitable for' bat-making will steadily but surely go on increasing. But it is not only for the special purpose cf bat-making that willow timber is being eagerly sought for throughout the country, for its use is considerable in the making of floats for paddle steamers, " strouds " of water-wheels, carriage breaks, and the lining of carts and barrows where wear and tear is greatest, and where splintering of the wood is most to be guarded against. At one time willow timber was almost a drug iu the market, but not so at present, for it is sought for near and far, and a handsome price offered for that of special size and of first-rate quality. It is light and smooth, very soft but tough, and does not splinter, while it works readily and takes a good polish. With the low prices of Britishgrown timber and forest produce generally, it is certainly satisfactory to know that one at least is increasing in value and that the home supply is very far short of the demand. With keen and . commendable insight several owners of partially-waste ground in England have been encouraged to plant con- | siderable areas of dampish ground with several species of willows, and that the undertaking will be a profitable one we may conclude unhesitatingly. Of willows suitable for the production of timber one of the best is the craok willow (Salixfragilis), and which is a rapid grower, especially when planted in groups or masses. It is, likewise, an excellent nurse or shelter tree, the light and wonderfully elastic branches rarely suffering even during the

most severe storms, although, a» indicated by the popular name, the smaller twigs snap readily at their junction with the main stem. The yield of timber per year, if the trees are planted in fairly strong, dampish loam, is about H cubic feet, many specimens of which a"record was kept having produced 45ft in 30 years. An acre of ground stocked with, say, 1000 trees, containing on an average even 40ft of timber each, would total 40,000 ft, which at the modest sum of Is 3d per foot would give a total value of L 2500. This is rather extraordinary, and the price per foot as stated is certainly very low when compared with that realised at present for special trees.

It is a mistaken idea, as many, however, have been led to believe, that willows will thrive in swampy, undrained land. Plenty of quickly-pass-ing-away moisture is no doubt a partial necessity, and land that can be flooded at will is excellent, but the willow will grow and produce first-class timber in any fairly good and not over-dry soil, but all the better, as above stated, where plenty of moisture, not stagnant, is supplied.