[Woodcarver] Fwd: Announce Please Bill

[Alex Bisso]

Bob Gander has a web page with good information about diamond willow.  A
link to it is:
http://carverscompanion.com/Ezine/Vol2Issue2/BobGander/DiamondWillow.html

An excerpt from the page is: Lutz identified six species that he identified
that had diamonds. Apparently Baxter and Wadsworth identified a seventh
species. One of my future projects is to get some training in willow
identification. From my reading, there are over 100 species of willow in
North America, and some of these hybridize in the wild. Thus proper
identification can require careful observation not only of bark and leaves,
but also growth habits, flowering and seed development. The oldest sample of
Bebb willow that Lutz reported was 146 years old! It had a diameter (inside
the bark) of 6.6 inches.

If my math is right, that means it takes over 20 years to grow 1" in
diameter.  Actually I think it greatly depends on the kind of willow and
growing location.  However,  your question asked about a "good diamond
willow stick"  which to me means one with lots of well-formed diamonds and I
can tell you that do grow slowly and tortuously with a constant battle being
waged between the disease and the willow plant.  If it is a good diamond
willow stick I think the disease will win as I have found the best and most
diamonds on dead willow canes.  I have also found that the best diamond
willow, in the areas I search, is not found in the healthy, thick willow
stands in the open near the water but are found in clumps away from the
water a bit where more harse living conditions weaken them.  The best are
found where the willow clumps are mixed with other trees, mainly
cottonwoods, which compete with them for moisture, sun, etc. and make them
further susceptible to the disease.  It is my opinion and observation that
good diamond willow grows quite slowly and certainly much slower than a
healthy willow of the same type.

Alex Bisso
Billings, MT   59106
  -----Original Message-----
  From: woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net
[mailto:woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net]On Behalf Of OLD JOE
  Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 2:06 PM
  To: [Woodcarver]
  Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] Fwd: Announce Please Bill


  How long does it take for a good diamond willow stick to develop (grow).
Old Joe


  Old Joe (Joe Brott), Plattsmouth, NE USA
  www.oldjoe.org
  for Len Dillon basswood roughouts and basswood turnings, click:
www.diamondd.org
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