ARBORICULTURE. 



269 



:10ns. I became convinced that these 

 g-entlemen were right, and now, after a 

 quarter of a century of investigatiou, am 

 assured in regard to Catalpa speciosa : 



1. It is the most rapidly-growing tree 

 in America that possesses economic 

 value. 



2. A greater quantity of valuable 

 wood may be produced upon a given 

 area in a specified time than from any 

 other American tree. 



3. 'I he wood is the most enduring of 

 all our trees. 



4. It succeeds over a greater range of 

 territory than any other valuable tree of 

 this continent. 



5. Its habit of growth is upright, with 

 long trunk where it has an opportunity, 

 thus differing from all other forms 

 of catalpa. 



6. The chemical constituents of the 

 wood are so resistant of decay as to make 

 expensive artificial wood preservation 

 entirely unnecessary. 



7. The roots are strong, vigorous, 

 large and deep, extending far in every 

 direction, holding so firmly in the earth 

 that storms do not blow them over. I 

 never knew a catalpa to be blown over 

 by wind. 



8. It is less subject to disease and at- 

 tacks of insect enemies than any other 

 tree of my acquaintance. Only one worm, 

 the catalpa sphinx, attacks it, and that 

 is easily controlled by spraying, while 

 the trees are never seriously injured by 

 the sphinx. 



9. The wood has the same texture as 

 butternut, firm enough for tie purposes, 

 and holds a spike well. 



10. For inside car finish it is admir- 

 ably adapted, partakes of high polish, 

 has a handsome grain, and is a superb 

 wood for furniture and inside finish. 



11. It is easily manipulated with edge 

 tools. 



12. Its strength is ample for all re- 

 quirements in railroad work. 



Thus it will be seen that from the 

 first inception of the idea of using steel 

 ties on American railways, I have 

 pointed out the serious difficulties 

 and dangers from the use of metal 

 ties, and have repeatedly urged the 

 planting of forests. 



It is yet not too late for this work to 

 be accomplished, and just now is an ex- 

 cellent time to consider what may be 

 done. 



WHAT MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED 

 WITH ONE MILLION DOLLARS. 



Replying to a prominent railway of- 

 ficial, recently, in regard to cost of grow- 

 ing timber in the Southern States for 

 the railways north of the Ohio River, I 

 said : 



The best lands in the LTnited States 

 for growing timber, particularly the Ca- 

 talpa speciosa, are the sandy soils of 

 Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and 

 Alabama. 



WHY? 



( I ) With a long growing season the 

 climate of the Gulf and South Atlantic 

 States causes an extremely rapid fomia- 

 tion of wood cells, and double the annual 

 growths which can be secured in our 

 Northern States. 



(2) The wood is of equal solidity as 

 that grown in more Northern regions, 

 there being no deleterious efifect from 

 this rapid increase of cell growth. 



(3) The antiseptic materials which 

 the Catalpa appropriates from all soils, 

 and makes a part of its fiber, is present 

 in the rapidly-maturing wood in just as 



