THE WESTERN OR HARDY CATALPA 



FOUR of the most important specific characters of this species are shown in the plate : 

 the pods are stouter and have thicker walls than those of the Eastern Catalpa; 

 the flowers, which appear about two weeks earlier than those of the eastern form, 

 are in smaller clusters and the inside of the corolla is comparatively free from spots; 

 the leaves have long, slender, acutely-pointed tips. In addition to these distinctions, 

 the bark of the trunk in good-sized trees is furrowed in the Western and scaly in the Eastern 

 Catalpa. In its native forest the tree of the Hardy Catalpa reaches twice the height of 

 the Eastern species. 



Originally indigenous to a comparatively limited region in the Mississippi Valley, 

 the Hardy Catalpa has become naturalized through planting by man over a large part of 

 the United States. It is able to endure the climate as far north as 44 and its unusual 

 value for forest planting has long been recognized ; the trees are easily raised from seed ; 

 they grow rapidly and are comparatively free from enemies, while the wood has an extra- 

 ordinary ability to resist decay when in contact with water. This latter property renders 

 the timber of especial value for fence-posts, railway-ties, and similar purposes. 



In the parks and private grounds of many cities the Japanese Catalpa has been 

 very generally planted. This may readily be known from our native trees: the flowers 

 which appear in June are yellow rather than white, and are spotted and striped on their 

 inner surfaces with violet and orange ; the leaves are often lobed ; the fruit-pods are very 

 long and slender. The trees do not attain a large size, but they are very attractive and are 

 more hardy than our Eastern Catalpa. There is also available for ornamental planting 

 at least one excellent hybrid between the Japanese and the Eastern Catalpa : it is known 

 as Teas' Japan Hybrid. It has whitish flowers in very large and beautiful clusters. 



It is very desirable that more of these various ornamental Catalpas be planted; 

 they add beauty and variety to our cities and villages, and are so easy to grow and so 

 free from attack by enemies that they will thrive even with the neglect that our trees are 

 so likely to get after they are once set out. 



(285) 



