The Planting of Willows on River Beds.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2090, 29 March 1898, Page 2

The Planting of Willows on River Beds .

SUPPOSED DISCOVERY OF WILLOW SEEDLINGS. It is generally understood, and we believe frequently asserted by scientific men (says a Gisborne paper) that there are no female willows in New Zealand, and that therefore there are no seedling willows. While the members of the Cook County Council were inspecting the island in the Waipaoa river the Engineer pointed out the fact that in some parts of the dry bed of the river seedling willows were Jgrowing in thousands, and threatened to still further obstruct the water in time of flood as they increased iu size. With the statement as to the absence of female willows in their minds, the Councillors examined these young willows with great care, and the result of the scrutiny was to leave no doubt in their minds that they were true seedlings and not shoots from parent stems Interesting as the point may be from a scientific point of view, it would, wa should imagine, be a good thing to prevent these seediings growing much bigger Already they evince a disposition to flourish exceedingly under the favorable conditions ia which they now exist, and if undisturbed it will no 1 ; ha very many years before they will present an almost impassable barrier to the water ia time of flood.