as many long and stout osiers as may be necessary to form the stakes or
skeleton. These are forced between the bottom sticks from the edge towards
the centre, and are turned up or "upset" in the direction of the sides;
then other rods are woven in and out between each of them, until the basket
is raised to the intended height, or, more correctly speaking, the depth it
is to receive. The edge or border is finished by turning down the ends of
the stakes, now standing up, behind and in front of each other, whereby the
whole is firmly and compactly united, and it is technically known as the
"belly." A lid is constructed on the same plan as that of the bottom, and
tied on with hinges formed of twisted rods; simple handles may be made by
inserting similar rods by the sides of two opposite stakes and looping them
under the border to form rope-like handles of three strands. This is the
most simple kind of basket, from which others differ only in being made
with finer materials and in being more nicely executed; but in these there
is considerable scope for taste and fancy, and articles are produced of
extreme neatness and ingenuity in construction.

In addition to willows many other materials are employed in the fabrication
of wicker-work. Among the more important of these is the stem of _Calamus
viminalis_ or other allied species--the cane or rattan of commerce--which
is used whole or made into skains. Since 1880 the central pith of this
material, known as "cane-pulp" or "cane-pith," has been largely used in
Great Britain and on the continent of Europe in the manufacture of
furniture and other finer classes of work. About the same period plaited
rush and straw, often coloured, came into use together with enamelled
skains of cane. It must be admitted, however, that basket-work in these
developments has encroached somewhat on the domain of cabinet-making; for
wood and nails are now much used in constructing basket-work chairs, tables
and other furniture.

With splits of various species of bamboo the Japanese and Chinese
manufacture baskets of unequalled beauty and finish. The bamboo wicker-work
with which the Japanese sometimes encase their delicate egg-shell porcelain
is a marvellous example of manipulation, and they and the Chinese excel in
the application of bamboo wicker-work to furniture. In India "Cajan"
baskets are extensively made from the fronds of the Palmyra palm, _Borassus
flabelliformis_, and this manufacture has bee