PRACTICAL 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, 112,000,000 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. 
