THE TREES AND WOODLANDS OF ESSEX 147
Cricket Bat Willow. A visitor touring Essex for the first
time probably notices the long rows of cricket-bat willows,
with their distinctive shape and grey-green foliage, stretch-
ing for miles along the boundaries of rivers, streams and
ditches, to be found in most areas, in particular in the central
part of the county. Frequently, they are the only trees to
be seen in quantity on the rich, flat agricultural lands, and
I would say that these trees are today as much a feature of
the typical landscape of the county as the moors are of
Yorkshire. This tree is possibly a native of the eastern
counties, including Essex, where it is reputed to be found
in a wild state, or, alternatively, it may be a hybrid between
Salix alba and Salix fragilis, according to some authorities,
whilst others consider it to be a variety of Salix alba.
Propagation is done vegetatively by inserting large
selected shoots, two or three years old and up to 14 feet in
height, at distances of 30 to 40 feet apart, although frequently
they are planted much closer. The stool-beds of the best
growers are very carefully managed, and only disease-free
stock of the best strains ought to be planted. The sets are
inserted two feet or so in depth, and they ought to have a
clear stem of at least eight feet below the branching head.
The ideal soil is a good, moist loam which is never water-
logged and yet at all seasons of the year has an adequate
water supply. If the trees are short of water during but a
few weeks in July or August, they will never produce first-
class timber, and will in many cases die. Water-logged soil
also affects the quality of the timber, so it will be seen that
the ideal site for this rather exacting tree is not easy to find.
It is, however, planted along the boundaries of fields near
deep ditches, on the banks of streams and rivers, and also
in plantations in well-watered sites, and whilst a lot of the
sites may not be ideal, a small percentage of the trees will
thrive and produce timber of the highest quality. They are
light demanders, consequently they are particularly suited
to planting in isolated rows along the banks of streams, and
the sunlight in Essex appears to be of just the right quality
and quantity for the production of the world's finest cricket
bats. For some reason, other countries with more reliable
climatic conditions and with more sunlight, cannot produce