All these particulars doubtless come as surprising information to those whose life on the Thames consists merely of rowing, sailing, or camping. If they notice the numerous osier-beds at all, it is only to wonder idly at the dense thickets of tall straight rods they form; and it is but rarely suspected, either that they are carefully planted and tended, or that the crop of rods is both valuable and precarious. An osier-bed is formed by planting cuttings of some six inches in length. Like cuttings from its big brother, the willow, they strike easily, and soon form vigorous plants. Indeed, in the case of green poles and posts made of willow, many worthy housewives have frequently been astonished at finding the posts they use for hanging out the domestic washing budding lustily and becoming healthy trees. An osier-rod of one year’s growth is ripe for cutting, and cutting proceeds every year, from the established stool: the season’s growth being, according to the variety, and to circumstances, anything from ten to fifteen feet. Osier-growing is a considerable industry, and, with due care and ordinary good fortune, very profitable; for there is not at present a sufficiency grown in England to satisfy the demand, and we thus import largely from France, Belgium, and Holland. But, as shown already, the osier requires to be properly tended, and has its enemies. Prominent among these is the water-rat, whose destructive habits, in gnawing through the base of half-grown rods, are very costly to growers. The rods are cut in autumn or winter, and are then sorted into four sizes, known as “Luke,” “Threepenny,” “Middleborough,” and “Great.” Of these, “Luke” is the smallest. They are done up for sale in “bolts,” _i.e._ bundles, forty inches round.