322 



ARBORICULTURE 



The hardy, rapid-growing Ailanthus 

 meets this requirement perfectly, cut- 

 tings of the roots may be had in un- 

 limited quantities, and planted in tol- 

 erably close rows, say six feet apart, 

 would in two or three years be of suf- 

 ficient size to completely shade and 

 protect intermediate rows of small 

 evergreens. 



Not on IV Avould the Ailanthus pro- 

 tect them from the summer sun and 

 the wintry blasts, but the abundant 

 foliage, falling to the ground would 

 supply a much-needed mulch, and de- 

 caying, enrich the soil for the weaker 

 confers. 



This is especially important in the 

 sandy, serni-arid districts in western 

 Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyom- 

 ing and Texas. 



Farmers and ranch owners in the 

 western states, particularly those 

 whose lands are sandy and where 

 water for irrigation is not over abun- 

 dant may, with a very small quantity 

 of water, keep the Ailanthus growing 

 and under its protection secure a forest 

 of more important or more desirable 

 trees. 



In the Moluccas, which are almost 

 under the equator, the Ailanthus be- 

 comes a tall tree with long, straight 

 trunk, because of its environments, 

 growing in close forest, and although 

 the tree is thus of tropic origin, long 

 cultivation in far northern localities in 

 Asia, Europe and America, it has ceas- 

 ed to require a hot climate and has 

 adapted it?elf to conditions existing in 

 temperate regions. 



This ability of adaptation to various 

 ■conditions of soil and degree of tem- 

 perature makes the Ailanthus, Catalpa 

 "Speciosa and a comparatively small 

 number of forest trees of very great 

 value to the general planter. 



For Sand Dunes. 



There is no doubt but the Ailanthus 

 may be made very useful in checking 

 the sand movement on the ocean 

 ■shores and borders of lakes where the 

 wind shifts the mountains of sand, 

 driving them inland. 



Once getting a foothold and cover- 

 ing the surface, the wind would be 

 powerless to continue the sand move- 

 ment, and in time other forest trees 

 could be planted under protection of 

 this pioneer. 



There is no good reason why the 

 Ailanthus should not be planted sol- 

 idly in forests and form straight, tall 

 trunks which would be useful for tim- 

 ber and lumber. 



Saw mill men fear to cut trees 

 which have grown in towns because 

 these usually have spikes driven in the 

 wood and these obstacles, having be- 

 come overgrown with new layers of 

 wood, are not seen until cut by the 

 saw. 



The Ailanthus tree shown in our il- 

 lustration is as large as the average 

 forest trees of Indiana, being 90 feet 

 high and ^^0 inches diameter, but hav- 

 ing been grown as a single tree for 

 shade, with branches low, is thus un- 

 fitted for the timberman. 



Certain writers have pronounced the 

 Ailanthus to be a soft wood. This is 

 purely fiction. The wood is quite hard 

 and solid, very white and suited for 

 almost every purpose of the manu- 

 facturers. 



At the same time few varieties of 

 timber trees will make wood as rapidly 

 as does the Ailanthus. 



One of the synonyms by which it is 

 known, the Tree of Heaven, is certain- 

 ly a misnomer. It was formerly plant- 

 ed quite .argely in church yards and 

 cemetries, but probably the banks of 

 the river Avon, where it was formerly 

 quite common, gave the name Tree of 

 Avon, from which the popular syn- 

 onym degenerated into Tree of 

 Heaven. 



PAULONIA IMPERIALIS. 



The Purple Catalpa of the Orient. 



Taiku, Korea, ll-l-'06. 

 My Dear Mr. Brown: 



I am sending you, under separate cover, a 

 few pods of the Korean Catalpa. As you 

 will see, the seed is not at all like the 

 Speciosia; nor is the pod or seed at all like 

 the Bignonoides. I have never seen the 

 Speciosia pod. This tree is a very rapid 



