602 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



For general farm purposes I think the catalpa the best timber I know. 



The hardy catalpa does not succeed on light sandy soil, but on bet- 

 ter land I consider it the best tree that we can grow for post production. 

 Catalpa posts last fully as long as the burr oak or white oak posts. 



Of course, you will sometimes find a burr oak post that will stand 

 for twenty-five or thirty years, but their average life is much less. The 

 experience we have had with the catalpa posts leads me to believe that 

 they are on the average equally as durable as the oak. 



(Signed) GEORGE MEINEMANN, 



South Amana, Iowa." 



"I consider the hardy catalpa the best tree to plant in this part of Iowa 

 for posts and poles. I value it very highly for general repair work on 

 the farm, such as making eveners, singletrees, tongues, blocks for under- 

 pinning, etc. I like it especially for repairing farm machinery, because 

 it combines considerable strength with lightness. I have some posts still 

 standing. These have been in the ground at least nineteen years. They 

 were peeled and charred without being allowed to season before they were 

 set. From observations I believe, however, that if the posts are sea- 

 soned one year or longer before setting they will last longer than when 

 treated as above mentioned. 



(Signed) THEO. C. BLUME, 



Denison, Iowa." 



"It is an easy matter to grow the trees as they require but little cul- 

 tivation or other attention. 



I am an osage orange enthusiastic, but I believe my half acre of 

 catalpa trees will furnish all the posts and poles needed on the farm 

 for the next generation. 



(Signed) REUBEN REDMAN, 



Oskaloosa, Iowa." 



YIELD OF POSTS AND THEIR VALUE. 



To give the readers an idea of what returns may be expected from a 

 catalpa plantation, the results obtained in some of the plantations studied 

 are given herewith: 



Number Age of No. of Value Annual 



County Grove Trees Spacing Posts per Return per 



or Plot Years per acre acre acre 



Webster 28 3 x6 ft. 2114 $356.36 $12.75 



Mahaska 1 28 4 x6 ft. 2265 407.70 14.65 



Mahaska 2 28 3y 2 x6 ft. 3663 569.66 20.34 



Iowa 1 25 4 x8 ft. 1796 269.40 10.77 



Iowa 2 24 6 xlO ft. 1723 310.00 13.00 



In determining the value of these plantations the No. 1 posts were 

 valued at 18 cents each and the No. 2 posts at 10 cents each, this being the 

 present market value. Some of the plantations were not a full acre in 

 extent while others exceeded an acre. In each instance the figures given 

 are reduced to the basis of one acre. A more detailed account of each of 

 these plantations follows. 



