(os) 
PRACTICAL 
IN 
CATALPA FOREST 
ARBORICULTURE 
this tree above ull others of our great 
list of valued forest trees encouraged 
me to continue my investigation during 
this long period of years. 
The subject has been one of slow 
progression, here a little and there a 
little, and while much has been ac- 
complished, there remains more to be 
learned. I visited the localities where 
the trees were indigenous, and have 
seen most of those which have been 
preserved, having studied them in the 
forests, observed the minute differences 
in tree foliage, flowers, seed, and hab- 
its of the trees, learning to characterize 
the true Catalpa speciosa from the in- 
ferior varieties and numberless hy- 
brids, for I found that no forest tree 
was more easily hybridized, by insects 
carrying the pollen from flower to 
flower, than is the catalpa. 
In pursuing these researches I have 
traveled three hundred thousand miles, 
traversing every State, as well as 
Canada, Mexico and Central Ameri- 
ca, and have founded and_ recorded 
many thousands of catalpa trees which 
have been transported from their home 
in the Wabash Valley, in order to de- 
termine the extent of territory to 
which the trees were adapted, the soils 
suited to their growth, and their hardi- 
ness in rigorous climates, as well as 
their behavior under tropic conditions. 
The result has been that apparently 
there is no limit, yet found, between 
latitudes 45 deg. north and 4o deg. 
south of the equator. 
There has been no assistance ren- 
dered in all this work by the govern- 
ment or State, the expenses having 
been met by my own labors as civil en- 
gineer and other employment, until in 
1897 the organization of the Interna- 
tional Society of Arboriculture was 
effected, since which time the society 
has steadily grown, and has for the 
most part borne the expense. Ex-Pres- 
