r. 



RACTICAL ARBORICULTURE ' 231 



of Harrisburg, was put there in 1879, in mud ballast. The wood is perfectly 

 solid, showing very little signs of decay. * * * With tie plates and good 

 ballast, those ties would, I think, without doubt last fully thirty to thirty-five 

 years." 



Mr. Cowper furnished the author with a half of this tie, who had part 

 of it sawed into boards and a frame made and finished to determine its value 

 as a furniture wood. 



In appearance it resembles white walnut, Juglans cinerea, also similar in 

 texture. It is as easily wrought as white pine; the polish which it receives 

 places the catalpa upon a plane with walnut, cherry and our finest cabinet 

 woods. 



Suel Foster, Muscatine, Iowa, cut a tree of his own planting, at 20 years 

 from the seed; it measured 21 inches across the stump. 



STRENGTH OF THE CATALPA. 



It has been customary for farmers where this tree abounds to use the 

 young poles for repairing agricultural implements, where strength, combined 

 with lightness and durability, was desirable. Plow beams, single and double 

 trees, handles of various tools have been made, continuing long in use, where 

 oak had been broken. 



I saw a three-horse evener in Kansas, made from a four-inch catalpa pole, 

 which was being used for the third season, serving the purpose admirably. 

 Two eveners of oak had been previously broken in the same service proving 

 the practical utility of the catalpa. 



The immensity of the demands for timber by railroads may be realized 

 from the following figures: 



There are in use to-day 780,000,000 cross-ties ; annually required for re- 

 newals, ii2.ooo.ooo cross-ties; expended annually for ties, $60,000,000; num- 

 ber required during the next two decades, 3,000,000,000 cross-ties. 



Where shall they be obtained? Of what will they be made? What will 

 be their cost? These are pertinent questions but are capable of intelligent 

 solution. 



The catalpa tree will make the ties, in sixteen years growing to a size 

 that will make five cross-ties, which will last for thirty-five years. 



Transportation of ties for long distances now constitutes a large portion 

 of the cost. This may be eliminated by growing them where they are to be 

 used. 



One year old trees are always used in forest planting, and these may be 

 had at from $10 to $25 per 1,000 trees. 



Directions for planting catalpa: The utmost care should be observed in 

 obtaining the hardy western Catalpa speciosa. Unless it is specially desirable 

 to start with the seed, by all means purchase one-year plants. 



In growing plants the seed should be drilled in nursery rows about 25 

 or 30 per foot, with rows 4 feet apart, covered very lightly, kept clean from 

 grass and weeds, and transplanted the first year. There are 10,000 seeds to a 

 pound. 



