314 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



height and three to four feet in diameter at the stump. Trees eight 

 to ten inches in diameter will make two to three lengths of fence 

 posts. In a grove that I furnisliod the trees for, 4,000 trees planted 

 on a rather poor hillside fifteen years ago are now twelve to fourteen 

 inches in diameter at the stump. These trees were planted eight feet 

 apart each way, and are now bejng thinned from time to time for 

 posts, M-hich I am told sell at 50 cents each. One of the largest green- 

 house establishments in America in Iniildlng a greenhouse 400 feet long 

 last summer used catalpa posts to support the structure, thinking that 

 the most durable material available. 



Catalpa is easily givjwn from seed. Plant the seed about the last 

 half of May until first of .Tune, in fine light soil that will not crust 

 or bake, covering about half an inch deep. Seed will start nearly as 

 quickly as corn. The seedlings are about as delicate as to frost as 

 young tomato plants, hence the importance of not planting too early. 

 I plant in rows two feet apart, aiming to have tlie seedlings about an 

 inch apart (they may be two or three abreast by scattering the seed 

 in the furrow). Plants should attain one and a half to two and a 

 half feet the first season, and are then ready for the timber plantation 

 the next spring. If I were planting a grove for posts on level farm 

 land I would plant catalpa and osage alternately five or six feet apart, 

 say start with osage first and catalpa next. Second row, catalpa first 

 and osage second. Tliis would- make each kind ten or twelve feet 

 apart, expecting the trees all to grow well until the catalpas were 

 large enough for posts in about ten years, then cut them out and the 

 osage would have plenty of room. This would give about 1,100 trees 

 per acre. The 500 catalpas would be worth .$250 in ten years or $25 

 per half-acre per year for ten years. The osage standing ten years 

 longer would be worth at least $1 per tree, amoimting to $500 for use 

 of the half acre for twenty years, malcing $25 per acre per year, 

 while the land is improved by the rest from farm crops, and tlie rotting 

 of the leaves. In planting a liillside or land inclined to wash I would 

 advise osage and black locust alternately. There are acres on many 

 farms where poor, rom:ii or ov(>rflowed land now of little value may 

 1)6 turned to good account by planting to timber adapted to the locality. 

 Many farmers might also plant trees along the roadside and on bound- 

 aries, setting the trees about thirty feet apart, whicli in a few years 

 would do to attach wire fence to and thus become living posts. Among 

 other extensive plantations of catalpa that of the Kansas City, Fort 

 Scott & Gulf Railroad, near Farmington, Missouri, deserves special 

 mention. In this plantation nearly 200,000 trees were planted, mostly 

 catalpa. After a few years' growth and carefully comparing growths 

 and noting results, the company say the catalpa has certainly proved 

 to be the strongest grower and most tenacious of life, standing the 

 dry weather better than other varieties, and at present rate of growth 



