106 PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 



Of course, under such conditions it may require several decades for one 

 stronger tree to overcome and destroy all its fellows, as it must do before 

 it can begin its upward growth. This is the natural history of the honey 

 locust as usually found outside the forest. 



Locust tree is a name applied to several trees of different genera in vari- 

 ous portions of the world, but in the United States it is given to the black 

 locust, robinia pseudacacia, and the honey locust, glcditschia triacantlws, or three- 

 thorned acacia, both being indigenous to this country. 



The former produces racemes of fragrant white flowers. The seeds, which 

 are small, are contained in dry, brownish-colored pods four inches long. The 

 bark of branches is studded with short thorns, half inch in length. 



The latter has inconspicuous flowers, while the seed, much larger than 

 those of black locust, are imbedded in a sweetish gum in pods eight or nine 

 inches long and one and a half inches broad. These pods are curled and 

 twisted. The thorns are branched, usually in threes. Occasionally we find 

 a honey locust which does not produce thorns, or but sparingly. These are 

 preferable for planting. 



American pioneers "knew a good thing when they saw it." Therefore 

 thousands of miles of worm fences were built of walnut rails. Many hun- 

 dreds of miles of similar fences were built of catalpa rails, while a thousand 

 miles of straight fence still remain in which the posts are of catalpa. In like 

 manner every honey locust tree to be found in the forests was cut because of 

 its superior worth for farm purposes. 



Few people have seen so large and fine honey locust as we picture, which 

 still stands in Gibson County, Ind. It is 120 inches girth and 120 feet in 

 height, standing on the edge of a catalpa forest, near the Southern Railway. 



While the honey locust grows faster on rich alluvial land, yet they are well 

 adapted for growing upon rough, poor hill land, and if planted singly, will 

 become valuable and profitable in such localities. 



The wood is somewhat coarse grained, of reddish color. Its handsome 

 appearance commends it as a cabinet wood. It is difficult to distinguish lum- 

 ber made from this tree from that of Kentucky coffee trees. Both are rare in 

 the markets. 



Contrary opinions are held by woodsmen regarding the durability of 

 honey locust when used for fence posts, etc., in the ground. 



The location where they ara grown, rich or poor soil, rapidity of growth, 

 and time of cutting and setting the posts, whether green or seasoned, govern 

 their durability. 



All wood intended for contact with the ground, no matter of what species, 

 should be first well seasoned. One stick may decay quickly, while another will 

 last for many years. Oak. catalpa, black and honey locust, all come under 

 this rule. The sap contains fermenting materials which attract and feed the 

 spores of decay, while if seasoned, the germs of fermentation are killed and 

 rot takes place very slowly. 



This fact is well known to managers of wood preservation plants, who 

 first remove the sap with its fermenting materials before injecting the chem- 

 ical antiseptic preservatives. 



