312 



THE OARDENEIVS MONTULV 



[October,. 



be to try on a small scale at first, and watcli the j that while n few succeed with flowers and (jra[)or» 

 results, lie would learn fronj this in what di- in tiie one house, the majority regard it witli 

 rectiou to extend lus field. All we can say is i disfavor. — Ed. G. M.] 



Forestry. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



THE VARIETIES OF CATALPA, 



BY E. E. HARNEY, DAYTON, OHIO. 



The Monthly has so extensive a circulation, 

 and its editor is .such hi<^h authority, on all mat- 

 ters pertaining to Forestry, that I fear a wrong 

 impression may be made by his answer, in the 

 August number, to an inquiry as to the relative 

 merits of the early and late blooming Catalpa. 

 While it is true that there is but one species of 

 Catalpa native to IN'orth America, it is equally 

 true that there are two distinct varieties, having 

 clearly marked and well defined characteristics. 

 There is a difterence only, of from one to six 

 days, in time of blooming of trees of each var- 

 iety, iu the same locality, dependent on soil 

 and exposiu-e, yet, there is fully three weeks 

 difference in avei'age time of blooming of the 

 two varieties. 



This year, the early was iu full bloom in 

 Dayton, Ohio, June 4th, the late blooming 

 June 25th to July 1st. In Columbus, Ohio, and 

 Terre Haute, Indiana, on the same line of lati- 

 tude as Dayton, each variety was in bloom at 

 the same time and with the same difference in 

 time. In Ullin, Pulaski County, Illinois, 

 twelve miles north of Cairo, the early blooming 

 May 15th, the late blooming June 5th. Both 

 varieties are native Forest trees there. Arthur 

 Bryant, of Princeton, Illinois, has the early var- 

 iety, grown from seed gathered at New Madi'id 

 on Mississippi river in 1839, — trees now two and 

 a half feet in diameter, — that blooms fully three 

 weeks earlier than the common variety in same 

 vicinity. Suel Foster, of Muscatine, Iowa, has 

 trees of both varieties blooming fully three 

 weeks apart. Dr. John A. Warder, oif North 

 Bend, Ohio, has both varieties, that are thi-ee 

 weeks apart in time of blooming. John C. 

 Teas, of Carthage, Missouri, and Robert Douglas 

 & Sons, of Waukegan, Illinois, have trees of 

 both varieties, blooming three weeks apart. 

 This list might be increased to hundreds. Dr. 

 Job Haines introduced the eaily variety into 



this vicinity, from seed gathered IVoui two n-- 

 markably fine trees he found growing two mile^ 

 south of Dayton. Soon its merits began to bt^ 

 known and appreciated, and its marked differ- 

 ence from the common variety pointed out. 

 Dr. John A. Warder and John C. Teas, from it-; 

 .superior beauty, named the early variety, 

 Speciosa. Subsequently, Suel Foster discovered 

 that it would resist severe frosts, much more 

 than the common variety : up to and eveii 

 beyond 42*^ north latitude, its minutest twign. 

 remained uninjured, at a temperature fatal t'^ 

 the common variety. We therefore named it 

 the Hardy. 



When quite young, the Speciosa h;vs light col- 

 ored bark, as it grows older, the bark gradually 

 darkens, the outer coat thickens, becoming 

 seamed, furrowed, rough, and dark colored, 

 resembling somewhat Elm or Blax^k Locust of 

 the same age. When planted singly for shadf 

 or ornament, it generally grows tall, straight, 

 with a compact top, and is altogether a shapely 

 handsome tree ; the fiowers whiter and larger 

 than the common ; the seed pods, fewer bu;. 

 longer and larger. 



The later blooming or common variety, and 

 the only one described in the books so far as J 

 know, when quite young, is dark colored, has a. 

 light bloom on the bark, that readily rubs off. 

 As the tree grows older, the bark becomtw 

 lighter colored. The outer coat is thin , compara- 

 tively smooth, and iu small scales or flakes. 

 When planted singly, the common variety \> 

 often leaning, crooked, scragly, scarred in some 

 places, and rotten in others, unsightly, unthrifty, 

 and misshapen. Yet there are some very hand- 

 some trees of this variety on our streets and iu 

 our yards. Young trees of this variety, even in 

 latitude 40°, are liable to be killed do^vu by 

 very cold weather. The severe Winters of 

 1876-7, killed 2000 young trees of the common 

 variety in this vicinity. They were cut down to 

 the ground in the Spring, and transplanted. 

 They shot up a straight stalk, and grew finely 

 last season. They are growing vigoroasly this 



