ARBORICULTURE. 



249 



the Forestry Bureau. This mistake has 

 frequently occurred, causing great con- 

 fusion among botanists and the laity, 

 who have thus been led to believe and 

 propagate the doctrine that the catalpa 

 is a valueless and unimportant tree. The 

 Rio Grande Western Railroad planted 

 65,000 trees, sujoposedly speciosa, at 

 Provo, I'tah, in Kjoo. a large portion of 

 which turned out to be bignonoides, 

 which in equal time and under the same 

 treatment will attain a height of only 

 four or five feet, while speciosa will 

 range from twelve to sixteen, and show 

 a girth of perhaps eight inches. 



Numerous hybrids are raised by in- 

 tennixture of the several varieties, none 

 of which are the equal of the great forest 

 tree of the \\'abash, which is an entirely 

 distinct and much superior type — the 

 only form which should be cultivated 

 foT any purpose. All other fonns should 

 be avoided, particularly the bignonoides, 

 which is the most common, and hence 

 fosters the general belief that the value 

 of all catalpa for commercial purposes is 

 practically nil. This variet>% from its 

 low growth and spreading habit, is in- 

 deed totally worthless as a timber tree. 



There are several means of identifying 

 speciosa, not the least important of 

 which is examination of the bark of an 

 old tree. It is thick, heavy and deeply 

 furrowed, while that of other kinds is 

 inclined to scale of¥, and does not form 

 such prominent ridges. Speciosa usually 

 blooms earlier, and continues later than 

 do others in the same locality. The 

 flowers have a broad border of white, 

 which makes the color tone considerably 

 lighter than that of other varieties. It 

 develops fewer seed pods, and longer 

 ones from the same-sized cluster of 

 flowers, and the seed has a broad pencil 

 of filaments at each end, while the in- 



ferior species have these filaments drawn 

 together and even twisted. The low- 

 spreading trees of hybrid or Oriental 

 origin are so' prolific in the production 

 O'f seeds, and they may be so easily gath- 

 ered, that many thousand pounds have 

 been scattered broadcast throughout the 

 country, to the serious detriment of nur- 

 serymen, and the great disadvantage of 

 the catalpa speciosa, causing it to be 

 'condemned utterly because mistaken and 

 unknown. 



Of this tree as a timber producer, a 

 leading authority and enthusiast says : 

 "It is the most rapidly-growing tree in 

 America that possesses economic value. 

 A greater quantity of valuable wood 

 may be produced upon a given area in 

 a specified time than from any other 

 American tree. The wood is the most 

 enduring of all our trees. It succeeds 

 over a greater range of territorv than 

 any other valuable tree of this continent. 

 Its habit of growth is upright, with long- 

 trunk, where it has an opportunity, thus 

 differing from all other forms of ca- 

 talpa. The chemical constituents of the 

 wood are so resistant of decay as to make 

 expensive artificial wood preservation 

 f^ntirely unnecessarv. The roots ate 

 strong, vigorous, large and deep, .hold- 

 ing so firmly to the earth that storms 

 do not blow the trees over. It is less sub- 

 ject to disease and attacks of insects than 

 any other tree of my acquaintance. The 

 wood has the same texture as butternut, 

 firm enough for tie purposes, and holds 

 a spike well. For inside car finish it is 

 admirably adapted, partakes of high 

 polish, has a handsome grain, and is a 

 superb wood for furniture and inside 

 finish. It is easily manipulated with 

 edge tools. Its strength is ample for 

 all requirements in railroad work," 



This last-named fact is well recog- 



