FOREST PLANTING IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 33 
weevil, and therefore is preferable to white pine where there is danger 
from this insect, as in portions of New York and New England. It 
also does well when mixed with white pine. 
RED OAK (Quercus rubra Linn.). 
Largely on account of their slow rate of growth, the oaks have not 
been planted extensively in this country. Red oak, however, grows 
rather rapidly, and has much to commend it. It can be easily and 
cheaply propagated by planting the acorns directly on the site in 
the spring, after stratifying them over winter; it 1s hardy through- 
out the eastern region; it is a persistent grower after becoming estab- 
lished; it produces valuable material; and it is especially well fitted 
for growth on poor, wornout clay soils. This last fact alone makes 
it well worth considering. Catalpa has done poorly on some very 
poor, rocky, clay soils in the Middle West where red oak would 
doubtless have been successful. Red oak is quite tolerant, and should 
prove valuable for underplanting old, deteriorating stands on poor 
soils; also for planting in mixture with more rapid growing, intoler- 
ant trees such as European larch, or with equally rapid growing 
tolerant trees such as white pine. When planted pure, it should be 
_ spaced about 6 by 6 feet. A Rhode Island plantation on poor sandy 
_ soil has reached an average diameter of 9 inches and a height of 45 
feet in 34 years; another plantation on good black agricultural soil in 
Illinois has reached an average diameter of 5 inches and a height of 
38 feet in 25 years. . 
HARDY CATALPA (Catalpa speciosa Warder). 
In gathering data for this report very little attention was given 
hardy catalpa plantations, because the tree has been considered in 
previous publications. Hardy catalpa requires for its best develop- 
ment a fresh, well-drained loamy soil, or a sandy river-bottom soil, 
where the water table is within a few feet of the surface. A spacing 
of from 6 by 6 feet to 6 by 8 feet is close enough. The tree grows 
rapidly and sprouts vigorously from the stump, thus insuring several 
crops from one planting. It needs cultivation and pruning, and 
produces material chiefly valuable for its durability in contact with 
the ground. The species is hardy in the Middle West as far north as 
central Jowa, and in Michigan near the lake shore as far north as 43° 
latitude. In the interior of Michigan, however, it is frozen back at 
this latitude. Although not yet planted extensively in New England, 
some young plantations in Connecticut and Rhode Island indicate 
that it will do well there, unless planted on the most exposed sites. 
On good soils in the Middle West plantations have reached a diameter 
of from 6 to 7 inches and a height of from 40 to 50 feet in 20 years. 
Hardy catalpa gives promise of growing well on some of the poorer 
wornout clay soils of the Middle West, but with our present knowledge 
