THE BLACK LOCUST TREE 211 



THE BLACK LOCUST TREE AND ITS DESPOLIATION. 



By CHARLES A. WHITE, 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



\ \T ITHIN the past few years an increasing interest has been mani- 

 * * fested in the black locust tree, Robinia pseudacacia. Many- 

 persons have begun to propagate it, not only as a wayside tree, but as 

 a forest product; and issues of the public press lately have contained 

 many articles and paragraphs pointing out the excellent qualities of 

 the wood and recommending its general cultivation for economic uses. 

 Several of the articles referred to have mentioned the fact that one 

 of the great railroad companies has, within the past two years, planted 

 on its Pennsylvania lands nearly a million and a half of trees of this 

 species with the intention of using the product for railroad ties and 

 fence posts, and for other purposes requiring exceptionally durable 

 wood. It has been publicly announced that large additions to that 

 company's planting of this tree are to be made, and it is also known 

 that many smaller, but still extensive, enterprises of this kind, under 

 both corporate and individual management, are in progress in different 

 parts of our country. The aggregate of these enterprises requires the 

 expenditure of so much labor and money before any profitable returns 

 could be expected, that one who is acquainted with the past history of 

 the tree can not but wonder at the apparent lack of business precau- 

 tion, or of sound advice, which they imply. The fateful destiny of 

 this tree has been long known and until recently it has been generally 

 neglected; but by most persons the facts concerning it apparently are 

 uow forgotten or disregarded. From personal observations, extending 

 through many years and over a large part of the United States and 

 adjoining parts of Canada and Mexico, I am convinced that all at- 

 tempts to cultivate this tree in any part of North America, with the 

 possible exception presently to be mentioned, will result in failure so 

 far as suitable returns in practical value of the product is concerned. 

 The subject therefore has, with comparative suddenness, become of 

 public importance, and my chief object in writing this article is the 

 utterance of a public caution concerning it, especially directed to in- 

 dustrial interests. 



The excellent quality of the wood of this tree is all that has been 

 claimed for it, and doubtless it is this quality, together with the knowl- 

 edge of the vigor of its early growth, that has encouraged the exten- 

 sive preparations that lately have been made for its artificial propaga- 



