ARBORICULTURE 



125 



Theory Based Upon Error. 



It seems strange that the ^Forestry 

 Bureau, which is doing so much credit- 

 able work in other hnes oi arboriculture, 

 should still cling to the same error which 

 wrecked many early planters of Catalpas, 

 that of overcrowding the trees, destroy- 

 ing their vigor and dwarfing beyond re- 

 covery. 



Trees have as extensive a system of 

 roots beneath the soil as of branches 

 and foliage above; they extend as far 

 as the branches and often very much 

 farther. If these are confined to a space 

 two feet from the tree's trunk — ^as when 

 planted 4x4 feet — the wood growth and 

 visible portion of the tree must be equally 

 constrained. It is remarkable that the 

 Bureau cannot realize this fact, but mis- 

 leads the public who are depending upon 

 such authority for guidance. 



The ancient theory that all forest trees 

 should be planted thickly, that in their 

 efforts to reach the light their growth 

 will be upwards, the lower limbs being 

 eliminated hy shade and dense planting, 

 and that gradually, "through a survival 

 of the fittest," the stronger overcome and 

 destroy the weaker, thus securing the 

 space required for their development, is 

 not nature's method in growing Catalpa 

 speciosa, as may be learned by an exam- 

 ination of the Catalpa slashes along the 

 Wabash and tributary streams. Here each 

 tree has ample space for the extension 

 of root and branch, and they grow up- 

 right, straight, with long body, free from 

 branches. Often these trees grew from 

 100 to 150 feet in height, but there never 

 were 2,700 trees on an acre. Not only 

 are trees stunted and forever dwarfed by 

 such crowding as is urged by the For- 

 estry Bureau, but the vigor of the trees 

 being reduced by starvation they cannot 

 supply energy to force a rapid upright 

 growth, and branches are formed near 

 the ground, and being persistent they 

 remain upon the trees after they have 

 been killed by shading, and become en- 

 cased by the new wood of the growing 

 trees, thus forming dead knots, extend- 

 ing from heart to circumference. These, 

 in time, shrink from the surrounding 

 wood, leaving a space into which air and 



water enter, bearing the germs of de- 

 cay. 



In the forest, when a Catalpa is broken 

 ' down the entire strength of the root sys- 

 tem is poured into a new shoot quickly 

 produced from the stump, and in a short 

 time this becomes a large upright tree. 



The crooked, gnarled, inferior growths 

 pictured by the government publication 

 are the result of this erroneous theory of 

 overcrowding and starving. Tivo thou- 

 sand seven hundred trees per acre! What 

 folly! Four feet square on which to 

 grozv such trees as attain a diameter of 

 seven feet, and height of one hundred and 

 fifty feet. 



ROW OK CATALl'A MMic |(is\ 



Grounds of Charles Mt'rritt. ICdwards county, 111. Trees 



10 years old— ranfje from lo to Ki inches 



diameter and 45 feet hish. 



