FOREST EXTENSION IN THE MIDDLE WEST. 151 



Two extensive plantations of Catalpa at Farlington, Kans., established 

 twenty years ago, have now some trees large enough for ties. The 

 soil of the locality is not well suited to the Catalpa, and the manage- 

 ment of the plantation has not been the best. Hardy Catalpa and 

 Locust can be grown to the proper size for cross-ties in fifteen years 

 under favorable conditions of soil and management. Only in certain 

 localities of the West will the Oaks be planted for this purpose. The 

 White Oak requires thirty or forty years to make the growth that the 

 Hardy Catalpa makes in fifteen, whereas it is generally conceded that 

 there is little difference in their value as tie timbers. 



GENERAL LUMBER PURPOSES. When timber is large enough for 

 cross-ties it is approaching readiness for other uses. There will 

 always be great demand for this class of lumber for use in furniture, 

 cars, implements, and vehicles. Whether it will be profitable to hold 

 plantations for these uses rather than to sell them for the uses men- 

 tioned can not as yet be determined. (PI. XIV.) 



SECTIONS OF SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. 



Two features must characterize the sections of the country that per- 

 mit of successful work in forest growing: First, the natural conditions 

 must be congenial to the species used; second, the section must lie in 

 or near a territory of good demand. 



SPECIES AND SECTIONS ADAPTED FOR PROFITABLE PLANTING. It is 



generally known that each of the species named above thrives best only 

 in certain sections, and it has'already been stated that the demand is 

 greater and prices higher in some sections than in others. The attempt 

 is made below to point out for each of the species mentioned the sec- 

 tions in which these two requirements are to be met. Some localities 

 are omitted on account of minor area, others on account of lack of 

 information concerning them, still others because one of the two 

 requirements is not present, and only those which can be recommended 

 with absolute assurance are mentioned for each species. 



Oxage Orange. Valleys of the Red River, tributaries, and adjacent 

 lowlands from western Arkansas to central Oklahoma; valleys of 

 streams in eastern Indian Territory, eastern Kansas, and western 

 Missouri. 



Locust (Black Locust). Oklahoma, Indian Territory, southern Kan- 

 sas to Arkansas River, uplands of eastern Kansas and western Missouri; 

 also hillsides of southern Indiana and Ohio. 



Hardy Catalpa. Valley of Arkansas River from west line of Arkan- 

 sas to Garden City, Kans. ; valleys of other streams in central and 

 eastern Kansas and Nebraska to Platte River; southern Iowa in local- 

 ities having porous subsoil; also southern Illinois and western Indiana 

 The Wabash River Valley is especially favorable. 



