300 



ARBORICULTURE. 



a tree native to the Southwestern corner 

 of Indiana, which was of giant size and 

 great usefulness to the settlers about the 

 Wabasih River, and as soon as seeds 

 could be obtained he planted them on his 

 farm. 



One tree from this planting remains, 

 and is remarkable as being the largest 

 Catc^pa speciosa tree in. the world which 

 has been planted by human handis. This 

 tree is seen in the center of our illustra- 

 tion. 



There are other large Catalpa trees in 

 the forest bordering the Wabash River, 

 but these are indigenous and oi native 

 growth, while Fayette County is 250 

 miles from any natural-growth Catalpa 

 trees. 



From a study of the measurements oi 

 all the trees in this grove we find that the 

 Catalpa speciosa has exceeded a:ll others 

 in rate of growth, having increased 1.85 

 inches girth per annum. 



In the grove are fifty-four trees re- 

 maining, about half having been re- 

 moved : 



Three tulip (yellow poplar), 16, 20 

 and 20 inches diameter respectively. 



Three sugar maple, 14, 15 and 16 inch- 

 es diameter respectively. 



One Norway spruce, 10 inches diam- 

 eter. 



Three black walnut, 20, 22 and 24 

 inches diameter respectively. 



Five white ash, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 24 

 inches diameter respectively. 



Three American linden, 18, t8 and 20 

 inches diameter respectively. 



Twenty white pine, ranging from 10 to 

 24 inches diameter ; mean diameter of 

 white pine, 18 inches. 



Two sycamores of older growths. 



One hackberry, 14 inches diameter. 



One black locust, 14 inches diameter. 



One silver maple, 24 inches diameter. 



Five elm, American white, 24 to 30 

 inches diameter. 



One original forest elm, 300 years old, 

 14 feet girth. 



One wild black cherry, 21 inches diam- 

 eter. 



One balsam, fir, 10 inches diameter. 



One Catalpa speciosa, girth one foot 

 from ground, 90 inches ; 30 inches diam- 

 eter. Girth 20 feet from ground, 78 

 inches ; height, 90 feet. 



This grove was never closely planted ; 

 all the trees have grown into upright, 

 natural shape without the so-called forest 

 conditions of overcrowding. The Ca- 

 talpa tree is as straight and upright as 

 any of its neighbors, as may be observed 

 in the engraving. 



The trees stand from 16 tO' 20 feet 

 apart, or at the rate of 100 trees per acre. 



Estimating by Doyle's and Scribner's 

 rules, this tree will make 725 feet lum- 

 ber, board measure. An acre, containing 

 100 trees, producing in forty years 

 72,500 feet, while a thousand acres 

 would supply 72,500,000 feet oi lumber, 

 worth even now $60 per thousand feet, 

 or in the aggregate $4,350,000. 



The "Old Elm Farm" has been the 

 home of several notable personages, first 

 by Oliver H, Smith, a prominent lawyer, 

 well known through the State as the 

 head of his profession, who three times 

 was elected tO' Congress, serving from 

 1827 three consecutive sessions, and 1836 

 was elected United States Senator. 



After the death of Mr. Parker the 

 place became the property and home of 

 Hon. James N. Huston, wlw was Treas- 

 urer of the United States under Presi- 

 dent Benjamin Harrison. Mr. Huston 

 now resides in New York City. 



The farm is at present owned by Mr. 

 Geo. B. Markle, who makes it his home 

 during a portion of the year. 



