The Catalpa or Indian Bean 87 



throughout the winter. In late winter and spring these 

 pods split into two valves. The numerous flat seeds 

 have a winged margin and a tuft of long, white hairs. 

 What purpose do these serve ? 



Uses of the catalpa. Because of its durability in the 

 ground catalpa wood 'is much used for railroad ties and 

 still more for posts. Osage orange makes the most 

 durable post, and the yellow locust and red cedar are 

 next best ; but in many places the catalpa can be raised 

 with less trouble than these trees. For satisfactory 

 growth it requires a deep, fertile, porous, and well- 

 drained soil. 



The catalpa has been extensively planted for fence 

 posts on the prairies of Kansas and Missouri, and also 

 in Ohio and Indiana. There are two species, the com- 

 mon catalpa and the hardy, or western, catalpa. The 

 latter grows taller and straighter than the common 

 catalpa and is preferred for planting. 



Enemies of the catalpa. Both species of catalpa are 

 fairly hardy ; but they require considerable light and 

 moisture and are subject to leaf spot, a fungous disease 

 that can be checked by spraying. Their leaves appear 

 to be less palatable for most insects than those of some 

 other shade trees, but the catalpa sphinx has spread 

 over much of the region where the tree has been culti- 

 vated and is now becoming a serious pest. The sphinx, 

 or hawk moth, lays eggs in large masses on the under 

 side of the catalpa leaf. The caterpillars, or larvae, 

 that come from these eggs feed on the foliage and grow 

 to be 3 inches long. They resemble tomato worms, 

 but are yellow and black instead of green. 



