Woodland Gleanings Part 18

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE WILLOW-TREE.]

THE WILLOW-TREE.

[_Salix_[AA] Nat. Ord.--_Amentiferae_; Linn.--_Dioec. Diand._]

[AA] _Generic characters._ _Catkins_ oblong, imbricated all round, with oblong scales. _Perianth_ none. _Stamens_ 1-5. Fruit a 1-celled follicle with 1-2 glands at its base.

The willow tribes that ever weep, Hang drooping o'er the gla.s.sy-bosom'd wave.

Bidlake.

The Willows are chiefly natives of the colder parts of the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. More than two hundred species of this genus have been described by botanists, of which sixty-six are considered indigenous in this country. These are subdivided into scientific and economic groups. The economic groups are:--for growing as timber-trees, for coppice-wood, for hoops, for basket-rods, for hedges, and for ornamental trees or shrubs.

The Babylonian or Weeping Willow, _S. Babylonica_, the portrait of which heads this article, is the most picturesque and beautiful tree of this genus. It is a native of Asia, on the banks of the Euphrates, near Babylon, whence its name; and also of China, and other parts of Asia; and of Egypt, and other parts of the north of Africa. It is said to have been introduced into England by the poet Pope, who planted it in his garden at Twickenham, where it was known until about 1800 as "Pope's Willow;" but it was more probably brought to Europe by the botanist Tournefort, before 1700. Of the Weeping Willow, Miller says, "It grows to a considerable size. I have one in my view whilst I am writing, which is four and a half feet in circ.u.mference at three feet above the ground, and is at least thirty feet in height; the age is thirty-four years.

This tree is remarkable, and generally esteemed for its long slender pendulous branches, which give it a peculiar character, and render it a beautiful object on the margin of streams or pools. The leaves are minutely and sharply serrate, smooth on both sides, glaucous underneath, with the midrib whitish; on short petioles. Stipules, when present, roundish or semilunar, and very small; but more frequently wanting, and then in their stead a glandular dot on each side. Catkins axillary, small, oblong; in the barren the filaments longer than the scale, with two ovate erect glands fastened to the base; the fertile on two-leafed peduncles, scarcely longer than half an inch."

The light airy spray of the Weeping Willow is pendent. The shape of its leaf is conformable to the pensile character of the tree; and its spray, which is lighter than that of the poplar, is more easily put into motion by a breath of air. The Weeping Willow, however, is not adapted to sublime subjects; but the a.s.sociations which are awakened in conjunction with it, by that very beautiful psalm, "By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered thee, O Sion! as for our harps, we hanged them up upon the Willows,"--are of themselves sufficient to impart to it an interest in every human breast touched by the sublime strains of the Psalmist.

On the Willow thy harp is suspended, O Salem! its sound shall be free; And the hour when thy glories were ended, But left me that token of thee.

And ne'er shall its soft notes be blended, With the voice of the spoiler by me.

Byron.

Gilpin says we do not employ the Willow to screen the broken b.u.t.tresses and Gothic windows of an abbey, nor to overshadow the battlements of a ruined castle. These offices it resigns to the oak, whose dignity can support them. The Weeping Willow seeks a humbler scene--some romantic foot-path bridge, which it half conceals, or some gla.s.sy pool, over which it hangs its streaming foliage,

--and dips Its pendent boughs, stooping, as if to drink.

In these situations it appears in character, and to advantage.

No poet ever mentions the Weeping Willow but in connection with sad and melancholy thoughts. Burns, in his "Braes of Yarrow," thus sings:

Take off, take off these bridal weeds, And crown my careful head with Willow.

Prior alludes to the afflicted daughters of Israel:

Afflicted Israel shall sit weeping down, Their harps upon the neighbouring Willows hung.

And Dr. Booker refers to the same pathetic scene:

Silent their harps (each cord unstrung) On pendent Willow branches hung.

The Willow is generally found growing on the borders of small streams or rivers. The Sacred writers almost constantly refer to this natural habit. Thus in Job we read:

The shady trees cover him with their shadows; the Willows of the brook compa.s.s him about (xl. 22).

And again, Isaiah, in two places, speaks of its connection with the brook:

That which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the Willows (xv. 7).

They shall spring up as among the gra.s.s, as Willows by the water-courses (xliv. 4).

And Ezekiel refers to this habit of the Willow:

He took also of the seed of the land, and placed it by great waters, and set it as a Willow-tree (xvii. 5).

And in referring to profane authors, we find Milton speaking of

--the rushy-fringed bank Where grows the Willow.

An anonymous writer, too, mentions

The thirsty Salix bending o'er the stream, Its boughs as banners waving to the breeze.

The pastoral poet Rowe places his despairing Shepherd under Silken Willows. Thus he sings--(we will give the chorus in the first verse, and not repeat it, as it would occupy too much s.p.a.ce):

To the brook and the Willow that heard him complain, Ah, Willow, Willow; Poor Colin sat weeping, and told them his pain; Ah, Willow, Willow; ah, Willow, Willow.

Sweet stream, he cry'd sadly, I'll teach thee to flow, And the waters shall rise to the brink with my woe.

All restless and painful poor Amoret lies, And counts the sad moments of time as it flies.

To the nymph my heart loves, ye soft slumbers repair, Spread your downy wings o'er her, and make her your care.

Dear brook, were thy chance near her pillow to creep, Perhaps thy soft murmurs might lull her to sleep.

Let me be kept waking, my eyes never close, So the sleep that I lose brings my fair-one repose.

But if I am doom'd to be wretched indeed; If the loss of my dear-one, my love is decreed;

If no more my sad heart by those eyes shall be cheered; If the voice of my warbler no more shall be heard;

Believe me, thou fair-one; thou dear-one believe, Few sighs to thy loss, and few tears will I give.

One fate to thy Colin and thee shall be ty'd, And soon lay thy shepherd close by thy cold side.

Then run, gentle brook; and to lose thyself, haste; Fade thou, too, my Willow; this verse is my last.

Chatterton, in one of his songs, has the following lines:

Mie love ys dedde, Gon to ys deathe-bedde, Al under the Wyllowe-tree.