Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1915 — PROFIT in BASKET WILLOWS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PROFIT in BASKET WILLOWS

Prepared by the U.S. Department of v

cuttings in different parts of the country, and although in many instances the experiments have been failures, there is no longer any doubt that willows can be grown everywhere except In arid and semiarid regions, at high altitudes, and in some portions of the South. Commercially, they are now grown only in a few areas, notably in New York, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Ohio. They may, however, prove crop. Estimates published in Farmers’ Bulletin No. 622, "Basket Willow Culture,” indicate that an average annual net profit of from SB4 to SB9 an acre may be expected. In selecting a site for a willow holt, the first consideration is moisture. Water should be within from two to six feet of the surface, and the supply constant and sufficient. It is better, however, to select a site which may be too dry, rather than one which may be too wet. Where the moisture conditions are favorable basket willows will grow on a wide range Of soils, although they do best in a loose, sandy loam. Excessively acid or excessively alkaline soils should be avoided. It' is desirable, too, that the wind have free access to the holt, since this minimizes' the danger from insects. The neighborhood of large areas of weeds is also undesirable, for it Is difficult at best to keep the holt clean. For this reason it is advisable that holts be established on land which has been previously cultivated. Many failures, ft Is said, are due to lack of proper preparation of the ground. If possible, a previous crop of corn or potatoes should be planted. Late in the fall the land should then be plowed and left to weather during the winter. All basket willow holts are started from cuttings from shoots or branches. Since the plants last from twelve to fifteen years or longer, the best stock should be selected for this purpose. Of the many varieties, only the American green and the patent Lemley or Lemley should be selected. These require less cultivation than the purple willow, are easily peeled and bring good prices. Where cuttings are purchased, the prices should range from one dollar per thousand for ten-inch cuttings to five dollars per thousand for two-year-old 14-inch cuttings. For less than one thousand the prices are frequently much higher. Many persons, however, have begun the cultivation of willows with a few hundred. cuttings, and have gradually enlarged their holts as their supply and knowledge both increased. The better the physical conditions the less necessary it is' to have large cuttings, but under any circumstances two-year-old planting stock makes a thriftier growth at first than cuttings from one-year-old shoots. V The best time to plant is very early in the spring, when the weather is coot, the soil moist and the cuttings show little if any growth. When set in their holes the cuttings should not protrude more than two Inches above the surface of the ground. The holes should be barely large enough to re-

ceive the cuttings, never deeper than necessary. A sharpened iron rod is perhaps the best implement for making a hole. The point should be abrupt rather than long, since otherwise the space at the bottom would be too narrow for the cutting and an open air space would be created underneath the plant Spacing, a matter 'of Importance which depends largely upon the variety of willow planted, is discussed in some detail in Farmers’ Bulletin 622, which will be sent free upon application. > The bulletin also describes in de-

tall the best methods of cultivating and harvesting the crop. The great trouble, it is said, is the difficulty of obtaining the necessary labor for peeling. At times it is almost impossible to secure labor at any price, although the actual difficulties of peeling are comparatively few. The harvesting Itself should cost approximately five dollars a ton, green weight. The demand is extensive and varied and a large quantity of imported willow is being used in this country, although manufacturers, it is believed, would prefer the Ameri-can-grown if it could be obtained. There are many uses for the basket willow, familiar in Europe, which have not developed in this country as yet. It would seem, therefore, as though the industry might prove a profitable one for farmers who are willing to familiarize themselves with it. It must be remembered, however, that a certain amount of exact knowledge is required for success, and that a poorly managed holt rarely yields a profit, no matter how favorable the conditions may seem.