23 



Mr. Griffen, they have proved the nucleus of a large group of the Western 

 Catalpa in that region. This mav, perhaps, be considered nearly its 

 northern limit along the Missouri kiver. Still this tree may be recom- 

 mended for all the south-eastern quarter of Nebraska, if protected by 

 wind-breaks of the hardy trees of the country. It appeared to be per- 

 fectly hardy on the grounds of Governor Furnas, at Brownville. 



The existence of the Speciosa Catalpa at Dayton, Ohio, has already 

 been referred to; there indeed it is historical; it is also found to be hardy 

 in Columbus, the capital, and in other places on the same parallel where 

 the eastern* kind has suffered to some extent. 



In Fort AVayne, Indiana, the speciosa alone is reported as the catalpa 

 that will stand the climate. At Indianapolis, as at Terre Haute, and all 

 along that range it thrives, and is considered very superior in habit and 

 hardiness to the eastern kind. 



In all Illinois, North of the Illinois River at LaSalle, the speciosa is the 

 only kind that can be recommended as hardy. It was introduced by the 

 venerable tree-planter. Arthur Bryant. Sen'., who gathered the seeds at 

 New Madrid in ls:'J), planted them' at Princeton, and lias ever since 1 been 

 propagating and distributing these trees. He rinds them perfectly hardy 

 where the eastern kind has succumbed to the winters. The noble tree 

 in his door-yard is a beautiful specimen, having grown from seed sown in 

 is:}<),toa hight of forty or mire feet, \vith a beautiful crown spreading 

 over an area of equal extent, and supported by an erect shaft that meas- 

 ures almost three feet in diameter. 



At Waukegan, in the north-east corner of the State, the speciosa sur- 

 vives, while some plants of the eastern kind arc. frequently killed to the 

 ground, and are represented by a bunch of sprouts springing up from 

 the base of the dead stein, rarely producing flowers or seed. 



At Galesburgh and other points on that range, the trees of the speciosa 

 catalpa thrive and do well; they are, of course, highly appreciated. 



In Iowa the common kind was first planted. ( )n the grounds of Suel 

 Foster, at Muscatine, on the bluffs of the Mississippi, in latitude 41 N., 

 they grew well for awhile, and a lot of the speciosa variety was planted 

 beside them. The winter of IS.Vi and '5(> proved a crucial' test, as in the 

 following spring these were perfectly sound, while the common kind were 

 all killed; then and there was the survivor christened The Hardy Catalpa, 

 and since that time it alone has been selected by the intelligent planters 

 of that State, who claim that it is perfectly hardy even beyond latitude 

 \'2 degrees, in the bleak climate of their open prairies. 



Having now traced the migrations of these two trees, noted their be- 

 havior, and learned their relative hardiness over a wide extent of coun- 

 try, further discussion is deemed unnecessary, and the intelligent tree- 

 planter may be left to his own judgment in the selection of trees for his 

 groves. 



(,( ALITY OF THE LUMBER AND I'sKS. 



Little need here be added to the mass of facts collected by Mr. Barney, 

 and which have already been presented to the public, to prove that this 

 lumber is possessed of great economic value, and yet it maybe well tore- 

 port some observations in support of the statements that have been made. 



The wood of the catalpa is liu r ht. and yet sufficiently strong, and it i> 

 hard enough for most purposes of construction. It has been highly 

 approved for bridge-timbers where it was exposed to the weather; it has 

 been the favorite material for fence posts in a large tract of country; it 

 has been used, in the absence of stone, for the foundation supports of 

 buildings; it has been found an admirable material for covering -build- 

 ings as shingles, and it takes a good surface to receive a beautiful polish. 



