PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 215 



What is to be done with this vast area of agricultural land after the pine 

 has gone ? Of course some of the lands are suited for agricultural crops, yet there 

 is much that is not so considered, although it may have a low value for pasturage. 



We are attempting in these pages to show that at least one valuable tree may 

 be profitably grown upon any of these cut over lands, and cause them to become 

 more remunerative in that way than they have ever been before or than they can 

 be if put to any other use. 



ALABAMA FOR THE CATALPA. 



The warm, sandy soil of Southern Alabama, with a plentiful rainfall and al- 

 most perpetual growing season, makes this an attractive location for growing the 

 Catalpa speciosa. Along many of the streams throughout the State are to be 

 found large numbers of the Catalpa bignonioidcs, or Southern form of the Catalpa, 

 which indicates a soil and climatic condition which is well suited to this family of 

 trees ; and while the Southern tree is of smaller stature and of inconsiderable im- 

 portance, yet its presence assures us that conditions are favorable for this peculiar 

 timber growth. 



In each locality of Alabama where these forests are being planted there have 

 been removed quite recently yellow pine trees of very large size. Soil which has 

 produced such pine timber will undoubtedly produce as good trees of other spe- 

 cies, provided they are adapted to the conditions of climate similar to that re- 

 quired by the pine. 



In the vicinity of Mobile, Alabama, there are being made several large plan- 

 tations of Catalpa speciosa. The one in Baldwin County, planted by Captain J. 

 A. Carney last spring, has made excellent progress and demonstrated the adapta- 

 bility of Alabama's rolling, sandy clay loam lands for the cultivation of Catalpa 

 speciosa. The trees which were planted here in April have made strong, large 

 roots four feet in length in October, six months' growing season. 



The several plantations being made by Mr. Wilber J. Andrews, of Chicago, 

 who owns twenty thousand acres in Mobile County, much of which is to be 

 planted with Catalpa, as a commercial investment, will undoubtedly prove a suc- 

 cess not only in growth of timber, but as a financial investment as well. 



Then, the tract of 1,040 acres purchased by the Louisville and Nashville 

 Railway Company, and planted with Catalpa speciosa trees for the production of 

 cross ties, has been mentioned before. 



Thus in the southern portion of Alabama, within a radius of thirty miles 

 from Mobile, there have now been planted upwards of one million trees for tim- 

 ber purposes. Every shade of soil within this belt is thus being tested, and a 

 movement inaugurated, with ample capital in each case, to guarantee a thorough 

 trial of this Indiana tree, which bids fair to revolutionize the whole timber indus- 

 try of the South. With the development of this industry there will open to the 

 South a use for large areas of her lands for which they were peculiarly adapted, 

 and which will be productive of a larger revenue than could be realized from 

 these lands by any other method. 



