10 



inclines the writer t<> believe that this catalpa may be worthy of being 

 erected into a species; in this opinion some eminent botanists concur, 

 and they have kindly promised their valuable assistance in diagnosing 

 the plant when again in blossom. The peculiarities observable in the 

 fruit-pods and seeds, which prove most valuable means of discriminating 

 between the two kinds, were suggested by Mr. R. Douglas, of AVaukegan, 

 Illinois, whose long experience, and his acumen in the observation of 

 these organs, has enabled him to detect characters that might have been 

 overlooked by a less observant eye. 



The earlier history of this Dayton group has never been traced beyond 

 the two trees from which Dr. Haines first gathered seed for propagation- 

 but it is now clear, that as they are the same with those found in the 

 delta lands of the Mississippi,' they were of the western stock. They 

 may have come to Ohio independently, or possibly through General Har- 

 rison, who, 011 retiring from office, brought plants to Jjis home at North 

 Bend, Ohio, some of which were distributed, and those of his own plant- 

 ing, with their self-sown progeny, are still to be found in that neighbor- 

 hood almost naturalized. * 



From one or other of these groups, this form of catalpa was sent from 

 Cincinnati to Massachusetts many years ago, and trees are now to be 

 seen near Fahnouth, as reported by Mr. Jos. S. Fay, whose timber plant- 

 ings at Wood's Holl have been very successful. 



Mr. Arthur Bryant, Sen., of Princeton, Illinois, gathered catalpa pods 

 at New Madrid in 1839, from which he grew trees of this variety, and he 

 has since propagated and distributed plants, which have been Very suc- 

 cessful in Northern Illinois and elsewhere, in places that were not adapt- 

 ed to the eastern kind. On his grounds plants spring up naturally from 

 self-sown seeds, showing their adaptation to the prairie soil. 



Mr. John Litchfield, after settling on the prairie in Middle Illinois, 

 South of LaSalle, procured seeds of the catalpa from his old home in 

 Yanderburgh County, Indiana, from which he has planted groves that 

 have been verv successful. They are all of the Speciosa not a single 

 tree of the specific type was to be found in the neighborhood. 



The Omaha group has been received by a circuitous route. Many years 

 ago a traveler visiting a friend in Washtenaw County, Michigan, left a 

 seed-pod that he had brought from Kentucky. Ignorant of its character, 

 Mr. Rennet planted the seeds, and from him Mr. Joel T. Griffen purchas- 

 ed two plants that were taken to his home near Omaha, Nebraska, where 

 they have been multiplied and are scattered in that region. 



The Iowa group has been traced directly to the Dayton trees by Mr. 

 Suel Foster, who procured them from a trader who had brought them 

 from the Messrs. Teas, then nurserymen of Indiana. It is curious to 

 observe how universally other nurserymen have introduced the eastern 

 form, and how widely it has been disseminated through these western 

 States at the expense of the native Speciosa. 



THE HABITATS OF THE CATALPAS. 



The Species; -In his work upon the American Forest Trees, Mr. 

 Michaux referred to several places where this tree had been found in 

 the upper parts of Georgia and Carolina; following these indications, 

 Nuttail wrole that at one of the habitats thus indicated, near Columbus. 

 < ieor<_ria. he " for the lirst time in his life, beheld this tree decidedly na- 

 tive, forming small, hazard, crooked trees, leaning fantastically over the 

 rocky hanks of 'the Chatta-hoot-shee River." Correspondents i'n Georgia 

 and Alabama have referred to the catalpa as being found along the 

 streams, dearly indigenous, and they describe it as a live of large si/e. 

 All the seeds received from that region, whether from wild or cultivated 



