ARBORICULTURE 



9 



The latter are more or less tied to certain leader attracts supporters; supporters en- 

 territory, certain fixed objects or people, able the leader to enlarge his field of opera- 

 and consequently are not so free to act as tion, and the public listens. If the leader 

 the International Society, which can move voices the public, the work is done, and done 

 instantly in whatever direction it chooses, well. Let us give Mr. Brown his chance, 

 thus completing the opportunity. 



The success of all great movements de- '^^^^^ ^' i^owDiTCH. 



pends largely upon leadership. A good Boston, Mass., Aug. 6, 1902. 



The Catalpa speciosa as a Railway Timber Tree. 



Paper of John P. Brown, read at a meeting of the National Roadmasters and 

 Maintenance Society, Milwaukee, Wis., September 9, 1902. 



IT must now be patent to every railway 

 official that within a few years some 

 form of cross-ties other than wood will 

 become a necessity, unless special efi^orts 

 be made to grow trees suitable for this 

 purpose. 



For a third of a century I have studied 

 the problems of railway cross-ties; even at 

 that early day the disappearing forests 

 showed that grave results would follow the 

 wasteful methods of Americans in wood- 

 craft. 



In 1876 plans for metallic ties were pre- 

 pared by my attorneys, but upon a fuller 

 investigation of the subject these were 

 withdrawn, as I had become convinced that 

 the long lines of our railways, the sharp 

 mountain curves, maximum grades, increas- 

 ing loads and heavier trains, together with 

 their excessive cost, would make metal ties 

 impracticable; and this has been proven to 

 be correct. 



The various native woods were next 

 considered, white oak being the standard 

 wood for ties. But white oak must soon 

 become exhausted and a new supply could 

 only be produced in a century. At that 

 time only the choicest timber would be 

 accepted and a critical inspection rejected 

 large numbers which would now be eagerly 

 seized upon. 



General William Henry Harrison had, in 

 1818, called attention to the catalpa tree 

 of the Wabash valley, as being of extreme 

 durability. Mr. James M. Bucklin, a civil 

 engineer, in 1826 had advocated the use of 

 the catalpa for ties. 



Several railways in the early part of the 

 past century made use of a limited number 



of catalpa ties, but the great abundance of 

 timber prevented any general use of this 

 wood, changes in management contributing 

 to this result, and causing as well the loss 

 of most records of its use. 



Mr. Barney, the car builder, of Dayton, 

 Ohio, Dr. Warder, of North Bend, Ohio, 

 and Robert Douglas, of Waukegan, III, 

 about 1876 created considerable interest in 

 the catalpa, by various publications. I became 

 convinced that these gentlemen were right 

 and now after quarter of a century of in- 

 vestigation am assured in regard to Catalpa 

 speciosa : 



1. It is the most rapidly growing tree 

 in America that possesses economic value. 



2. A greater quantity of valuable wood 

 may be produced upon a given area in a 

 specified time than from any other American 

 tree. 



3. The wood is the most enduring of all 

 our trees. 



4. It succeeds over a greater range of 

 territory than any other valuable tree of 

 this continent. 



5. Its habit of growth is upright, with 

 long trunk where it has an opportunity, 

 thus differing from all other forms of 

 catalpa. 



6. The chemical constituents of the 

 wood are so resistant of decay as to make 

 expensive artificial wood preservation en- 

 tirely unnecessary. 



7. The roots are strong, vigorous, large 

 and deep, extending far in every direction, 

 holding so firmly in the earth that storms do 

 not blow them over. I never knew a catalpa 

 to be blown over by wind. 



8. It is less subject to disease and 



