7.2 



ARBORICULTURE. 



it is immaterial whether a Catalpa grows 

 slowly or rapidly. If this is the case, there 

 need be no fear that fence posts or tele- 

 graph poles will not be durable because 

 they have grown rapidly. On the con- 

 trary, it will give all the more reason for 

 hastening growth by every possible 

 means as to get the earliest returns. 



Here Mr. Hall recommends hastening 

 the growth, but his system of close plant- 

 ing defeats such a purpose at the very 

 beginning. 



Under the table of products are shown 

 for each of the twelve blocks the number 

 and value of posts in the trees now stand- 

 ing, the number and value of the trees al- 

 ready cut, the total value of each block, 

 and the average acreage value of the dif- 

 erent compartments. A glance at the last 

 column of the table will show a great dif- 

 ference in acreage value between the dif- 

 ferent years' planting. The difference is 

 due not so much to age as to soil. By re- 

 ferring to the description of the blocks it 

 will be seen that the trees on the best soil 

 were planted in 1890, on the next best in 

 1891, and on the poorest in 1892. Here, 

 as in the other plantations, the more fer- 

 tile soil gives a marked increase in re- 

 turns. The difference in value is to be 

 partly accounted for in other ways. It 

 will be remembered that the planting of 

 1891 was never cut back, so that the trees 

 were limby from the ground up, and 

 never attained satisfactory height. Much 

 of the growth was in the form of side 

 branches, and therefore w^asted for all 

 practical purposes. This greatly reduced 

 the number of posts, and likewise the 

 value of the trees. 



The great tendency towards low 

 branching and the apparent greater neces- 

 sity for cutting back in the Yaggy planta- 

 tion may be partially due to the fact that 

 this plantation is of mixed variety, not 



pure Catalpa speciosa. Mr. Hall no- 

 where in his report mentions this fact. 



Dr. von Schreck, in the introduction to 

 his valuable report, has the following to 

 sav relative to the Hardy Catalpa : 



"The Hardy Catalpa is, as a rule, a tree 

 singularly free from destructive disease. 

 A number of parasitic fungi grow in the 

 living leaves, where they may do consid- 

 erable harm, especially during moist, 

 warm summers. They are rarely present 

 in sufificient numbers, however, to cause 

 alarm. The young twigs are rarely at- 

 tacked by any fungus disease, so far as 

 has been determined. Root rot diseases 

 are likewise unknown The wood of the 

 trunk, under unfavorable conditions, con- 

 sidered more in detail below, is destroyed 

 by two fungi, both of which do consid- 

 erable harm. 



"Catalpa wood, after it is cut from the 

 living tree, is one of the most durable tim- 

 bers known. In spite of its light, porous 

 structure it resists the weathering in- 

 fluence and the attacks of wood-destroy- 

 ing fungi to a remarkable degree. So far 

 as the writer has been able to determine, 

 none of the ordinary saprophytic wood- 

 destroving fungi grow in Catalpa wood ; 

 in fact, no fungus has yet been found 

 which will grow in the dead timber. This 

 is certainly a very remarkable fact and 

 worthy of the utmost consideration. 

 After long exposure to weathering in- 

 fluences, which may mean twenty to 

 thirty vears and more, portions of the 

 wood do change and crumble away. To 

 what these changes are due it is difificult 

 to say at this time. It may be that the 

 alternate wetting and drying of the wood 

 fibers, causing expansion and contraction 

 for long periods, finally bring about 

 changes in the fiber. These changes are 

 so small, however, that for practical pur- 

 poses they can be disregarded. 



