70 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



shade lines. When closely planted it will grow tall and straight, 

 attaining a stem of 50 feet up to the first branch ; it prefers bottom 

 lands, but will grow in any soil and position, according to Mr. 

 Barney. It is hardier than most Eucalypts, but will not stand 

 severe frosts. According to Professor Burrill, it is not liable to be 

 destroyed by insects. Comes early into bearing of seeds. Pro- 

 fessor Meehan regards the wood to be as durable as that of the best 

 Chestnut trees ; indeed, it lasts for an almost indefinite period. 

 General Harrison insists that there is nothing like it for posts. 

 Catalpa pickets of the old French stockade are still sound. Logs 

 thrown across water-courses for crossing have lasted for three 

 generations ; railway posts from it are almost indestructible, and 

 so are platforms. Logs a century old, and posts half a century, 

 were not the least decayed (Barney). Railway cross-ties made of 

 this wood are also very lasting, a tree twenty years old furnishing 

 sufficient for four ties. Canoes of Catalpa wood never crack or 

 decay. 



Catalpa speciosa, Warder. 



In the Mississippi States. Hardier and taller than C. bignonioides, 

 blooming earlier ; leaves inodorous, flowers larger, as rapid in 

 growth, and wood as durable ; also only with a very thin layer of 

 destructible sap wood (Dr. Engelmann). 



Catalpa Kaemferi, Lieb. and Zucc. 



Japan. Grows in eight years to 25 feet high, with a trunk of 

 2 feet circumference ; bunches of flowers very large and fragrant 

 (Hovey). C. Bungei (Meyer) from North China or a closely allied 

 species can be grown for hedges. 



Catha edulis, Forskoel. 



Arabia and Eastern Africa. The leaves of this shrub, under the 

 designation of Kafta or Cat, are used for a tea of a very stimulating 

 effect, to some extent to be compared to that of Erythroxylon Coca. 

 To us here the plant would be mainly valuable for medicinal 

 purposes. 



Ceanothus rigidus, Nuttall. 



California, One of the best of hedge shrubs, available for dry 

 situations. Evergreen ; up to 12 feet high ; the branches become 

 densely intricate. In the coast tracts it is replaced by C. thyrsi- 

 florus, Esch., which can also be used for hedges and copses, and 

 will live in mere coast-sand. C. prostratus, Benth., likes to form 

 natural mats on slopes formed by roads and slides, which it 

 gradually covers, and with its pretty blue flowers soon decorates 

 (Professor Bolander). 



