FOREST PLANTING IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 33 



weevil, and therefore is preferable to white pine where there is danger 

 from this insect, as in portions of New York and New England. It 

 also does well when mixed with white pine. 



RED OAK (Quercus rubra Linn.). 



Largely on account of their slow rate of growth, the oaks have not 

 been planted extensively in this country. Red oak, however, grows 

 rather rapidly, and has much to commend it. It can be easily and 

 cheaply propagated by planting the acorns directly on the site in 

 the spring, after stratifying them over winter; it is hardy through- 

 out the eastern region; it is a persistent grower after becoming estab- 

 lished; it produces valuable material; and it is especially well fitted 

 for growth on poor, wornout clay soils. This last fact alone makes 

 it well worth considering. Catalpa has done poorly on some very 

 poor, rocky, clay soils in the Middle West where red oak would 

 doubtless have been successful. Red oak is quite tolerant, and should 

 prove valuable for underplanting old, deteriorating stands on poor 

 soils; also for planting in mixture with more rapid growing, intoler- 

 ant trees such as European larch, or with equally rapid growing 

 tolerant trees such as white pine. When planted pure, it should be 

 spaced about 6 by 6 feet. A Rhode Island plantation on poor sandy 

 soil has reached an average diameter of 9 inches and a height of 45 

 feet in 34 years; another plantation on good black agricultural soil in 

 Illinois has reached an average diameter of 5 inches and a height of 

 38 feet in 25 years. 



HARDY CATALPA (Catalpa speciosa Warder). 



In gathering data for this report very little attention was given 

 hardy catalpa plantations, because the tree has been considered in 

 previous publications. Hardy catalpa requires for its best develop- 

 ment a fresh, well-drained loamy soil, or a sandy river-bottom soil, 

 where the water table is within a few feet of the surface. A spacing 

 of from 6 by 6 feet to 6 by 8 feet is close enough. The tree grows 

 rapidly and sprouts vigorously from the stump, thus insuring several 

 crops from one planting. It needs cultivation and pruning, and 

 produces material chiefly valuable for its durability in contact with 

 the ground. The species is hardy in the Middle West as far north as 

 central Iowa, and in Michigan near the lake shore as far north as 43 

 latitude. In the interior of Michigan, however, it is frozen back at 

 this latitude. Although not yet planted extensively in New England, 

 some young plantations in Connecticut and Rhode Island indicate 

 that it will do well there, unless planted on the most exposed sites. 

 On good soils in the Middle West plantations have reached a diameter 

 of from 6 to 7 inches and a height of from 40 to 50 feet in 20 years. 



Hardy catalpa gives promise of growing well on some of the poorer 

 wornout clay soils of the Middle West, but with our present knowledge 



