PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 235 



catalpa. In sixteen years better poles may be grown than are now used by 

 any corporation. 



The white cedar, which is now used, has been from eighty to one hun- 

 dred years struggling for an existence, while red cedar is of still slower growth. 

 The expense of iron poles precludes the use of metal for long lines outside 

 the cities. 



MINING TIMBERS. 



The enormous quantity of wood used in supporting the roofs of mines in 

 the United States, which must be renewed frequently, demands the atten- 

 tion of mining engineers, investors and statesmen, as to what shall be used in 

 the near future. 



Even now, many of the coal and other mines are transporting timbers 

 hundreds of miles. The durability of catalpa wood under similar situations, 

 and its rapid growth, commend it for this purpose. It has ample strength 

 and resists the germs of decay completely. 



While metal may be desirable to replace wood in mining operations, yet 

 the cost of metal must be so great as to induce the planting of catalpa timber 

 for this use. 



WHERE CATALPA SPECIOSA ORIGINATED. 



As has often been told in ARBORICULTURE there are three prominent vari- 

 eties of Catalpa : Kempferii, from Japan, introduced into Europe and the 

 United States since 1852 ; bignonioides, a native of the Southern States, from 

 Virginia westward through Louisiana, and in all the territory south of the 

 Ohio River. Neither of these varieties has any economical value, yet both 

 have been broadly disseminated throughout the world, and to a very large 

 extent mistaken for the Catalpa of which we have had much to say. 



Catalpa spcciosa, up to the year 1818, was totally unknown in any portion 

 of the world except a restricted location along the immediate valley of the 

 Lower Wabash River and a few tributary streams. It occurred between north 

 latitude 27 degrees and latitude 38 degrees, 40 minutes, and between longitude 

 87 degrees, 30 minutes and 89 degrees west from Greenwich only, however, 

 in small areas along these streams. A few sporadic groves were found where 

 the seed had floated a short distance down the Mississippi River. 



But in Missouri Catalpa bignonoides is common, and here on the Miss- 

 issippi the two varieties occur, causing innumerable hybrids, with few of pure 

 speciosa. 



WHERE THE CATALPA HAS BEEN PLANTED. 



During the Nineteenth Century the Catalpa has been largely distributed. 

 In some instances it has been disseminated by enthusiasts who, having learned 

 the high value of the timber, have planted it in other localities. Others, ad- 

 miring the flowers, have planted Catalpa trees for ornament. By these experi- 

 ments we are now enabled to determine the range to which the Catalpa is 

 adapted. 



