HARDY CATALPA. 289 



notched; calyx purple. Fruit 9 to 20 inches long 1 , about one- 

 half inch in diameter at the middle and tapering towards both 

 ends; it ripens in autumn, generally remains on the tree until 

 spring- and then splits into two concave valves. The seed is 

 light brown about an inch long and one-third of an inch wide: 

 the wings are rounded at the ends and terminate with a fringe 

 of silky hairs. The .ends of the branches die in winter with- 

 out forming a terminal bud. A large and important tree in 

 the forests within its range where it attains a height of over 

 100 feet and a diameter of 3 to 4i feet. 



Distribution. Borders of streams and lakes, and fertile 

 and inundated bottom lands in southern Illinois and Indiana, 

 western Kentucky and Tennessee, southeastern Missouri and 

 northeastern Arkansas. 



Propagation. By seeds and it is said by cuttings. 



Proper ties of wood. Soft, light, not strong, coarse grained, 

 very durable in contact with soil. Specific gravity 0.4165; 

 weight of a cubic foot 25.96 Ibs. 



Uses. The hardy Catalpa is not a very hardv tree in this 

 section and probably most of the specimens of it growing 

 north of central Iowa are more or less injured by our winters 

 but they often hold on well in favorable locations as far north 

 as St. Paul and Minneapolis and form good small trees. 

 They are occasionally killed to the ground but generally re- 

 new themselves by sprouts from the roots. The Catalpa is, 

 however, unfit for a street tree in Minnesota; but may often 

 be used in protected locations in parks and lawns, where it is 

 valuable for variety in foliage and for its beautiful flower 

 clusters. It is of remarkably rapid growth when young and 

 has been used in some of the most successful tree plantings 

 that have been made in Kansas and southern Iowa. Tne wood 

 is used for railway ties, fence posts and rails, and occasion- 

 ally for furniture and inside finish of houses. 



The Hardy or Western Catalpa was for a long time con- 

 founded with the Catalpa of the eastern states ( C. biynonioides) 

 which is not- nearly so hardy. 



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