The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-30
CATALPAS ON THE WABASH.
A Most Valuable Tree IL the Right
Variety IL Secured.
August Arboriculture.

August Arboriculture.
On June "a, in company with Mr.. w. ID.
Stern. we visited several of tie catalpa
slashes down on the Wabash. One tract
Of fifty acres, in the river bottoms, we
found five hundred catalpa trees, varying
from thirty to one hundred inches girth.
all naturally planted. 1t is safe to say
not one is less than eighty feet high, some
being more than one hundred feet. They
are usually straight, and i'm SIZE symmetry
and general appearance equal 10 the oak.
white ash, shell-bark hickory, sycamore.
walnut, sweet gum and pecan, with which
they are associated in the slashes
On one farm we found q tree which had
grown from catalpa stake in the stake
and ridered rail fence. built in 1878. when
the prairie was first settled. At one foot
from the ground this tree measures six feet
in diameter. at six feet height it's girth
being eleven feet. This tree, being in "A
fence line, had been cut back I'm an early
age, and formed a low, branching head
the main branches being two feet through.
There are many instances where catalpa
trees have grown from posts and even
blocks OF the wood beneath buildings have
taken root, budded and grown into immense
trees.
We saw a great many farms which were
fenced entirely with catalpa rails which
still remain I'm the worm fences after sew
enty eighty years service. and scarcely
a farm but which has miles OF fencing. the
posts OF which are all OF catalpa; many
of these have been In continuous use fifty
seventy and eighty years.
So valuable do the land owners consider
the catalpa that some farms rows OF
trees taken from the swamps are planted
along every fence line, and one may travel
for miles along the pubic highways be-
meath the shade OF catalpa avenues. Here
and there are piled cords OF cataIpa fence
posts to season for future use.
Cid men who have lived I'm tho same
EQfflcmouf Of ho
prairies In the early part OF the last CEN
fury. speaking of the durability OF catalpa
with the weather.
One man says he has had cataIpa for
kindling his fires every morning for more
than sixty years, being better than pine
On one large farm where there are several
miles or catalpa trees planted I'm fence
rows, trees for the early paintings were
dug from the slashes. while those later
planted were purchased from some nur-
sery. In every case these latter paintings
ore worthless bgnonoides. and, being now
In bloom, are easily determined.
IL is so easy TO gather large quantities OF
seed from the low growing. spreading trees
that seedsmen tempted by low prices and
large profits, deal In these worthless seeds.
and after years Of patient waiting farmers
learn the true character OF their purchase
To illustrate the persistency OF the cat%l-
pa, and that when once planted IL becomes
a permanent forest we were shown a pile
OF stumps which were dug from the ad-
joining field last season. This field was
cleared forty-one years ago. and the ca
talpa stumps have lived, sending up fresh
sprouts every season for forty years and
had finally 10 be dug out. All other stumps
had decayed long ago.
These stumps sprouted every year and
made large growths. but the field was re-
quired for cultivation and the owner was
compelled 10 dig them out eventually.
Few people realize the vast Importance
the worthless kinds. which are common
in every locality.