414 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



demand, and there is a wide limit as to the time of harvesting. 

 Much of the work can be done at a season of the year when farm 

 work is not pressing and but little skilled labor is required. In- 

 telligent oversight is necessary, however. The catalpa is adapted 

 to a great variety of soils; is but little subject to the attacks of in- 

 sects and fungi and resists decay when put in contact with the 

 soil. The black or yellow locust has some of these qualities, like- 

 wise the osage orange and mulberry; but the Catalpa speciosa, or 

 hardy catalpa, possesses more of them than any other tree. The 

 catalpa is easily grown from seed and in some cases it may be ad- 

 visable to grow the trees instead of buying them. If one knows 

 how to distinguish the true speciosa and can find seed bearing trees 

 of that species, it may be as well to take no risks of getting the 

 wrong kind by buying trees. There are two very common species of 

 catalpa which are found in nearly every neighborhood, both of 

 which are undesirable. Both of these are more spreading and bushy 

 than the speciosa. The filaments, or threads, at the ends of the 

 seeds of these two forms of catalpa are drawn together, while those 

 of the speciosa stand out parallel to each other like the hairs in a 

 flat paint brush. The inferior kind seed very freely and the seeds 

 are easily gathered, as they are nearer the ground, but the pods of 

 the speciosa are more scattered and higher up. The seeds may be 

 gathered at any time during the winter, but it is advisable to secure 

 them as soon as the leaves fall in order to prevent loss by the open- 

 ing of the pods. The seeds should be kept over winter in a dry, 

 cool place. They are to be sown about the first of May, or as soon 

 as the ground is in good condition. 



A catalpa grove can not be cultivated in the same manner as 

 a young orchard, as the growth is more rapid and the trees are 

 closer together than fruit trees. In some cases cultivation may be 

 impracticable, such as stony fields, newly cleared lands and steep 

 hillsides. 



On stony ground and steep hillsides the ideal method is to dig 

 with a mattock a small space, about two feet square, where each 

 tree is to stand, and then plant as advised in plowed ground. After 

 planting success is more certain if each tree is mulched with straw, 

 or some material which will keep the ground moist. Seeding with 

 clover, if practicable is advantageous also. On ground which is 

 newly cleared the same method of planting may be followed and 

 clover seed sown, but the sprouts which start from the stumps of 

 the trees which have been felled will need to be cut at least once 

 during the season and may be thrown about the young trees to serve 

 as a mulch. 



It is seldom advisable to plant catalpa trees where either mulch- 

 ing or cultivation cannot be practiced. Some of the trees may 

 grow and make good specimens without care, but the result will not 

 be satisfactory where no attention is given them. All live stock, 

 except chickens, should be kept from the catalpa grove for at least 

 three years, but after that hogs might not injure the trees, although 

 we know of no groves having been used in this manner. In case 



