14 



lightest of American hard woods, which I have examined 

 critically. It is remarkable that so soft and light a wood as 

 the catalpa should possess the power of resisting decay to a 

 degree almost unknown in the hardest and heaviest woods. It 

 is unnecessary for me to dwell at this time on tin 1 indestructi- 

 ble nature of this wood, for so many examples of its wonderful 

 durability have 1 of late been brought to public notice that the 

 fact is now established beyond question. But why the soft 

 wood of this fast growing tree, which is traversed with large 

 open ducts, nearly as broad as those of red oak, a wood which 

 notoriously rots very quickly, should be able to resist decay to 

 such a degree, is not clear; and this fact presents an interest- 

 ing problem,. which the chemist or the vegetable physiologist 

 may perhaps be able to solve. 



As fuel the catalpa has but little value. For the cabinet 

 maker or the architect it will rank with such North Ameri- 

 can hard woods as the cherry, the black walnut, the ash, and 

 the butternut. The wood is close grained, very easily worked, 

 and susceptible of an excellent polish. In color and general 

 appearance it resembles chestnut, but unlike chestnut it is 

 easily "filled," and shows none of the tendency to warp or 

 start, which renders that wood unfit for the best cabinet w<r\. 

 It is, however, for fence and telegraph posts, hop and vin - 

 yard poles that the wood of the catalpa has no known equal 

 among extra-tropical woods. It is for these, and other em- 

 ployments, where a cheap material capable of resisting decav, 

 when exposed to the action of the soil and weather, is requir- 

 ed, that catalpa can be more profitably employed than the 

 wood of any other tree suitable for cultivation over so large 

 an area of the United States. Tatalpa wood seems particu- 

 larly suited for the manufacture of coffins, for which purpose 

 it promises to rival the famous \an-inti wood of the Chinese; 

 and it is not altogether improbable that before many years, 

 we may see large quantities of catalpa exported to China to 

 take the place of that scarce and high-priced material for the 

 construction of coffins. Incidentally, it is suggested that 

 catalpa may prove an excellent material from which to make 

 permanent garden labels. Much has been said in various 

 quarters of the excellence and durability of catalpa railway 

 ties. Of the power of this wood, when so employed, to resist 

 decay, there can be no doubt. But whether a soft wood like 

 the catalpa will bear the crushing and wearing of the rails, 

 or hold spikes as well as .harder woods, like white oak and 

 chestnut (the best materials from which American ties arc 

 made), only carefully conducted comparative experiments can 

 demonstrate. Such experiments, by which the comparative 

 value of the several woods used or recommended for railway 

 ties is to be fairlv tested, have been lately inaugurated both 



