Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 101 



generations ; railway-posts and platforms of this wood are almost 

 indestructible. Logs a century old, and posts half a century old, were 

 not in the least decayed [Barney]. Railway cross-ties made of this 

 wood are also very durable, a tree twenty years old furnishing 

 sufficient timber for four ties. Canoes of Catalpa-wood never crack 

 or decay. 



Catalpa HLaempferi, Siebold and Zuccarini. 



Japan. Grows in eight years to about 25 feet in height, with a 

 trunk of 2 feet circumference ; bunches of flowers very large and 

 fragrant [Hovey]. Proved hardy at Christiania [Schuebeler]. C. 

 Bungei (Meyer) from North-China, or a closely allied species, can 

 be grown for hedges. Flowers of all Catalpas sought by bees. 



Catalpa speciosa, Warder. 



In the Mississippi-States. Hardier and taller than C. bignoni- 

 oides ; blooming earlier ; leaves inodorous, flowers larger, growth 

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

 destructible sap wood [Dr. Engelmann]. Found to have attained 

 in 40 years a stem-circumference of 40 feet at 4 feet from the ground 

 [Letterman]. 



Catha edulis, Forskael. 



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

 designation of Kafta or Cath, are used for a tea of a very stimu- 

 lating effect, to some extent to be compared to that of Erythroxylon 

 Coca. To us the plant would be mainly valuable for medicinal 

 purposes. 



Caulanthus procerus, Watson. 



California. A stout biennial. Locally used as a substitute for 

 cabbage [Brewer], but here only mentioned as likely capable of 

 cultural amelioration. 



Ceanothus rig-idus, Nuttall. 



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

 situations. Evergreen ; to 12 feet high ; the branches becoming 

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

 florus (Escholtz), which can also be used for hedges and copses, 

 and will live in mere coast-sand. C. prostratus (Beiitham) forms 

 natural mats on slopes, made by roads and slides, which it gradually 

 covers, and with its preetty blue flowers soon decorates [Professor 

 Bolander]. Irrespective of their beauty, the different species are 

 worthy of cultivation as forming excellent wind-breaks. A fair 

 tea is made from the leaves of C. velutinus [Dr. Gibbons]. Some 

 species are relied on as forage-plants. 



