10 



hardy than the common variety, and has withstood the severest 

 winters up to and even beyond 42 North latitude. 



The later blooming, or common variety, resists the frosts of 

 winter usually below 40. If the young trees of either variety 

 freeze, they should he cut down the following spring close to 

 the ground. They w r ill shoot up a straight, vigorous stalk, 

 and after that, most likely, resist the frost. The common va- 

 riety, when planted singly, is often leaning, crooked, and 

 scraggy. But planted in groves, grows tall, erect, and makes 

 a handsome tree. The hark, when the tree is grown, is light 

 silver gray color, comparatively smooth, the 1 outer coat in 

 flakes or scales. There are before me samples of the wood of 

 both varieties, and also samples of the bark. 



GROWS ON ALMOST ANY SOIL. 



While rich river bottoms, particularly such as are subject 

 to overflow, seem to furnish the most natural soil for catalpa, 

 it thrives well on almost any soil. J. P. M. Kpping, Grab am - 

 ville, S. C., writes, "Catalpa springs up in old fields, near 

 roads, or in old abandoned plantations; seems to like high 

 land with sandy clay loam host. It only grows spontaneous 

 in such places." Robert W. Pumas, Brownville, Neb., writes: 

 "Grows best on table or second bottom land." G. ( 1 . Bracket t. 

 Kansas, writes: "Makes a fine tree planted on deep black' soil ; 

 adapts itself to groves, and becomes more luxuriant than in 

 open, exposed places*" E. Gale, Manhattan, Kan.: "Makes a 

 good growth in a forest plat upon a high, gravelly ridge : makes 

 a wonderful success upon low, rich bottom lands; grows finely 

 on all kinds of land." Win. G. Burk, Medina, Delaware Co., 

 Pa.: "No tree springs up along the line of the Philadelphia A: 

 West Chester R. R. so freely, or grows more rapidly." Horace 

 J. Smith, Philadelphia: "The catalpa flourishes remarkably 

 well on railroad embankments, roadsides,' and other newly 

 turned up ground. On the spoil barren dirt of quarries, of the 

 hills, and on the raw clay of Philadelphia level meadows, be- 

 fore any other vegetation takes hold, the catalpa plants itself 

 and grows finely." Charles Mohr, Mobile, Alabama: "Thrives 

 wonderfully well on our light soil." Joseph Kirk, Morrill, 

 Brown County, Kan. : "Have a catalpa tree of the early va- 

 riety, seven years old, that is seven inches diameter two feet 

 from the ground. The catalpa is a very fast grower here." 

 Robert Millikan, Emporia, Kan. : "({rows through the central 

 and Southern part of the State with the greatest luxuriance, 

 on second bottom, low upland, river bottoms, and high upland." 

 J. W. Foster, Livingstone, Pratt Co., Kan. : "My catalpa seed- 

 lings stand the dry weather very well, and grow finely." 1 D. 



