8 



ground forty-seven years, from one of which the samples 

 shown here are cut. D. Axtell, Superintendent Missouri Di- 

 vision of the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad, writes: 

 "In regard to durability of catalpa it is useless to multiply 

 words; fence posts twenty years in the ground are always as 

 sound as when first put in, and no decayed catalpa logs are 

 ever found in the swamps. A section of a catalpa log known 

 to have laid on the ground in the swamps fifty years, is now 

 in the office of the land department of the road, in St. Louis, 

 and is as sound as it ever was." 



CAN THE CATALPA BE CULTIVATED? 



No tree more easily, very few as easily. It can be grown 

 from cuttings, but much the more readily from seed. Plant 

 in the spring, in warm, rich, light soil, in rows 3 to 4 feet 

 apart, cover lightly one inch unless the ground is liable to 

 bake, in which case much less. If pressed for room, li to 2 feet 

 apart, placing the seed 3 inches apart in the row, as all may not 

 germinate. When a few inches high, thin out to 1 foot in the 

 row, transplanting those taken up. At 1 foot apart in the 

 row they will make a better growth than nearer, and at that 

 distance, if desired, they maybe left in the seed bed two years. 

 They are more easily transplanted at the end of one year. 

 though they may be left in seed bed two or even three years. 

 When transplanted, place them 4 feet each way. Some prefer 

 3 feet by 3 feet. A year or two after transplanting, if any tree 

 is' not straight or puts out branches too low, it will make all 

 the taller and handsomer tree if cut down to the ground. 

 When the trees are large enough to make fence stakes, hop 

 and vineyard poles, cut out each alternate row one way. 

 When large enough to make fence posts, cut out each alternate 

 row the other way. In from twenty-five to thirty years, on 

 good ground, the remaining trees should be large enough to 

 make six railroad ties each. The first two cuts should be sawed 

 through the middle; the next two being smaller, may be flat- 

 tened on two sides. The rounded side of the ties sawed through 

 the middle should be placed down; this can be done, because 

 most catalpa trees show no sap wood, and none more than from 

 -J to J- of an inch, a fact that adds largely to its economic value. 

 As catalpa is fully equal to the best white walnut or cork pine 

 for any purpose for which they are used, and is susceptible of 

 finer finish and higher polish than either; it may pay better 

 to let the trees grow till the}^ are two feet or more in diameter 

 and use the timber for cabinet work or inside finishing. 



