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NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



All the plantations herein reported are in the region south of the 

 Platte river and east of Hastings. As a rule, the species has net done 

 well west of York. It was not found in plantation form north of the 

 Platte river, though many single trees in good condition were noted. 

 Successful plantations may be seen at Yankton and Viborg, S. D. Hardy 

 catalpa can probably be grown on good soils throughout the region cov- 

 ered by this report, except in the sand-hills. Wherever it will succeed, 

 no other tree will pay so well. It requires a deep, fertile, porous soil, 

 and the situation is still more desirable if the water table is within 

 10 or 15 feet of the surface. These conditions exist in many of the 

 river bottoms, especially in the Platte river valley. 



Plantations Nos. 1 and 2. — These plantations occupy adjacent grounds, 

 belong to the same person, and have been given exactly the same care. 

 They are treated together, therefore, in order to compare the returns. 

 They are situated on upland prairie. The altitude is approximately 1,200 

 feet. The soil is a sandy loam with a small admixture of gravel. The 

 subsoil is of clay. The land occupied by No. 1 was in virgin prairie sod 

 till the spring of 1899, when it was broken out and allowed to stand idle 

 till the following year. No. 2 is on land that was old and worn out 

 when the trees were planted. 



Plantation No. 1 was established in 1890, No. 2 in 1889, their respective 

 ages when measured being 14 and 15 years. In both cases the ground 

 was put in a thorough state of cultivation immediately before the trees 

 were planted. One-year-old stock was used, spaced 4 by 4 feet. The 

 plantations were cultivated like corn the first two years, since when no 

 further care has been given them, except that a few acres were pruned 

 several years ago. 



The general health and appearance of the trees are good, and the 

 plantations on the whole are thrifty. There is some decay noticeable. 



