15 



in Massachusetts and Ohio: and information is expected from 

 them which will lead to important practical results. 



The catalpa can he safely planted in strong, rich soil, in any 

 portion of the United States south of the 42d parallel. Fur- 

 ther North it often suffers in severe winters, especially when 

 young; and in the Xew England States, except in a few ex- 

 ceptional situations, the soil is not rich enough to make the 

 planting of this tree as profitable as that of many others bet- 

 ter suited to reach maturity in this section of the country. 

 For that portion of the treeless region of the West, south of 

 the 42d parallel, especially for Kansas and Southern Nebraska, 

 I am satisfied that no tree, which has yet been suggested for 

 general planting there, will at all equal the catalpa, either in 

 the rapidity of its growth or the value of its wood, with the 

 single exception, perhaps, of the Ailanthus. 



The growth of the catalpa in the rich prairie soil is simply 

 astounding. I have now before me a specimen cut from a 

 tree which grew at Brownsville, Nebraska, and which shows 

 but four annual layers of growth from the seed. It is 9f 

 inches in circumference, and the growth of the first two years, 

 \l inches in diameter, is already changed into' heart wood. 



During the autumn of 1877, the Missouri River, Fort Scott & 

 (iulf R. R. commenced experimental plantations of various 

 trees on their land, near Fort Scott, in Kansas. The super- 

 intendent of the road, in his report to the president on the 

 condition of these plantations at the end of their first year, 

 says: "The catalpa has certainly proved to be the strongest 

 grower, and most tenacious, standing the dry weather better 

 than other varieties, and at present rate will come to maturity 

 years before other varieties are of sufficient si/e to he of anv 

 utility." 



I have said that as fuel the catalpa is of little value. Such 

 a statement is comparative rather than absolute. As com- 

 pared with the cotton woods, box elders, or white maples, 

 which have been heretofore almost exclusively planted on the 

 prairies, it is of very great value; and, though not yet proved 

 to be the e<|iial of white oak or chestnut for railway ties, it 

 is far superior to any other tree which can with certaintv be 

 grown (jiiickly and profitably, where there will always be' the 

 greatest scarcity of material for ties, namely, in those States 

 watered by the Missouri and its tributaries. 



I add a few brief and sim pie characters of the only Tatalpas 

 now known, which can be cultivated in the ( T nited States 

 North of the extreme Southern portion of Florida, in the hope 

 of aiding horticulturists to more readily determine tie various 

 species now (|iiite generally cultivated, and in regard to which 

 there seems to be much confusion. 



