2G 



CATALPA, BEAN TREE, INDIAN BEAN, CIGAR TREE. 



Catalpa bignonioides, Walt. 



Catalpa Catalpa, (L.) Karst. See Britton & Brown, Vol. II, p. 199. 



A tree to wliich a great deal of attention has been called of late. 

 It is a rapid grower on almost any soil, x)roducing, in a very short 

 time, stems large enough for railroad ties or even telegraph or tele- 

 phone poles. The fruit is a pod enclosing numerous small winged 

 seeds. These pods remain on the trees during winter and may be 

 gathered any time after October. Remove the seeds and keep in a 

 cool, dry atmosphere until the ground can be worked in spring. Sow 

 the seeds broadcast and cover with fine dirt. By the next spring 

 the seedlings can be set out in rows. If by themselves, three or 

 four foot squares will make proper distances for planting. They may 

 be planted with locust, maple, ash, pine, etc. It has been recom- 

 mended to plant them in alternate rows with field corn. This will 

 afford some cultivation after the plants have been set out. White 

 pine might then be set along the corn rows after one or two crops 

 have been removed. If any damage comes to the young plant, cut 

 it off at the ground, for as long as the root is healthy a sprout will 

 soon come up which will probably produce a better tree than the 

 seedling stems. This indeed, is the best way to secure a trunk long 

 enough and straight enough for a telegraph pole. Cuttings may 

 be osed for propagation. The wood, whilst it resists decay in the 

 ground, appears to lack strength sufficient for a good railroad tie. 



WESTERN CATALPA. 



Catalpa speciosa. Warder. 



It is said that the wood of this species is more durable in contact 

 with the ground than that of the Catalpa above mentioned. As a rule 

 it produces straighter stems and is freer from branches. The growth 

 is rapid in almost any soil, producing a good crop of telephone poles, 

 etc., in twenty-five years, or less. It can be propagated as the above, 

 either from seed, or from cuttings. Its value for railroad ties has 

 been greatly overestimated. 



SASSAFRAS. 



Sassafras officinale, Nees. 



Sassafras Sassafras, (L.) Karst. See Britton & Brown, V ol. II, p. 97. 



Although a rapid grower, the tree will hardly be planted much in 

 Pennsylvania because of its timber qualities. It is very frequently 



