ARBORICULTURE 



171 



Planting Needed to Avert Danger 



Destruction of l^cgetation Due to Absejice of Trees Cut Down by Woodnien- 

 Arboriculturists Urge Propagation of Cata/pa, a Rapid 

 Grower, to Remedy Grave Situation. 



(commercial tribune, CINCINNATI, O.) 



Fortunately the interest of many who can be of 

 great service has in late years turned toward the 

 art of arboriculture; in simpler language, the art 

 of growing trees. 



The necessities of the situation have prompted 

 this new interest, as the rapidly -disappearing 

 forests have told of many perils besides that of 

 the scarcity of timber for various purposes. 



This situation justifies the issue of a handsome 

 work, entitled "Practical Arboriculture," by 

 John P. Brown, C. E., of Connersville, Ind. 



"Practical Arboriculture'' comes before the 

 public just when such a work is most needed. It 

 not only tells of the vast harm which has resulted 

 from the destruction of forests, but tells in a clear 

 way the steps which should be taken toward the 

 recreation of what has been destroyed. 



He shows that some of the great railroad inter- 

 ests have taken up the matter, as they are vitally 

 interested, and that trees by countless thousands 

 have been already planted, and are making excel- 

 lent progress. 



SOIL IS SHIFTED 



An important feature of the work of Mr. Brown 

 is found in the treatise upon the bearing of forests, 

 or, rather, the absence of forests, on the great 

 floods which cover the country at times. He says: 



" With this radical change in clearing up so vast 

 an area of timber there have come several evil 

 results. 



" Lands which were rich and mellow with 

 accumulated vegetable mold have been washed by 

 beating rains, the .soil transported to the delta of 

 the Mississippi, leaving rocks, stiff and hard clay 

 for the husbandman to waste his labor upon, with 

 scant remuneration. 



"Springs and rivulets have long since ceased to 

 flow, except for a few hours during a heavy rain- 

 fall. Rivers rise with great rapidity and as quickly 

 return to their low-water stage. 



"The Ohio becomes so low that wagons cross 

 with farm produce along the usual channel for 

 steamboats, and again it rises to the height of 

 seventy-one feet, spreading for miles over culti- 

 vated lands and submerging cities along its banks. 



"The soil no longer absorbs sufficient moisture 

 during the season of rains to support vegetation 

 in the time of drought." 



SITUATION CRITICAL 



In reality, the situation is somewhat critical. 

 Some nurserymen have planted trees, and farmers 

 in a few cases have taken up the work. 



The national government has done something, 

 but nothing commensurate with the magnitude of 

 the problem. 



In a number of States something has been done 

 in encouraging the work undertaken by the nation, 

 by the States and by individuals, but not near 

 enough. This book by Mr. Brown deserves a 

 wide circulation simply because it will interest 

 where none exists at present. If that is done, it 

 will help* much toward proper and liberal leg- 

 islation. 



Of all the trees mentioned by Mr. Brown, it is 

 plainly to be seen that he strongly favors the 

 Calalpa speciosa, which must not be confounded 

 with the ordinary catalpa found in many towns 

 and along many country roads. 



• FOUND EVERYWHERE 



They vary greatly. The rapid growth of this 

 tree and its value after growth commend it as an 

 ideal tree to be used in starting new forests. 



A century ago it was known only on a circum- 

 scribed area near the mouth of the Wabash, in 

 Indiana. It has proved its true worth by spread- 

 ing, until now it is to be found in almost every 

 State of the Union, in Mexico, and even in Canada. 



That it grows with almost marvelous rapidity 

 is shown by the fact that catalpas in the South 

 have increased two inches in diameter in a single 

 season. 



Objections have been raised to the catalpa by 

 reason of its rapid growth, but the author shows 

 the fallacy of the argument by several conclusive 

 reasons. 



The rapid increase in size is explained by the 

 greater number of cells added in a given period; 

 each cell is the same as another, and they have no 

 especial bearing upon the hardness of the wood. 



EXAMPLE TO FARMERS 



Catalpa has been used with great success by 

 railroads as ties, and those who have experimented 

 now have forests growing from which their tie 

 supply will come twenty-five or thirty years hence, 

 or even sooner. 



Other trees claim much space, and their virtues 

 are dwelt upon at length. In fact, Mr. Brown is 

 not a specialist. 



He loves his mission, and is endeavoring to 

 carry it out without fear or prejudice. The book 

 should be of great value to farmers and others 

 owning large tracts of land. 



It will show these men that there will be a big 

 return at a small expense of labor, and that done, 

 a great step has been made in the right direction 



