The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-11

growth What is here said about the
| tree applies only to the Western va
riety, Catalpa speciosa.
This tree has two strong points 10
recommend it. They are dura bility of
wood and rapidity of growth. In
stances are on record where catalpa
! posts have remained sound after being
! in the ground for a hundred years. in
| preparing an exhibit for the World ;
| Fair. at Chicago. sound boards were
OBTAINED from a log that had lain on
! the ground for a century. The tree is
being looked to with much interest as
a possible source for the production
of railroad ties the demand for which
IS becoming greater each year. The
natural home of the species is in the
OHIO and Mississippi valleys, yet IL is
known TO thrive in many localities out
side that region. So far as information
is al hand, it promises well in New
England though it can hardly be cX-
peCted to make so rapid a growth as
in its native habitat. 1t is such q rank
growing tree that best results are OBJ
tanned by planting in rows not nearer
than eight feet apart, with trees at
least six feet apart in the row. A
hoed crop can be grown between tho
rows the first year. Under favorable
conditions, the tree will make posts in
from seven to ten years. 1t sprouts
from the trunk as readily as a chest
nut, and these sprouts will make posts
in four or five years. In starting a
plantation it is usually desirable to
cut down the young trees when thor
oughly established in order to induce a
straight. vigorous growth. The side
branches do not fall away readily.
hence to produce good lumber it is
necessary that they should be pruned
away from time to time.
. 1f A-4I, 70
BILE. SO Birch street, Worcester. Mass,
is d Catalpa speciosa seventeen years
old. which is seventy-eight inches girth
al the ground, sixty-eight inches girth
at three feet hight, and seVenty-two
inches girth at seven feet from ground.
This tree is grown for shade. being for
ty feet high. with a spread of branches
thirty-flve feet.
On rich soil a shoot from a stump
has been known to make a perfectly
upright growth of sixteen feet in six
months. This rapidity of growth, COM
bined with lasting qualities of wood. is
a combination approached but appar-
emily not equAled in degree by white
pine, Norway pine and chestnut. The
following directions and estimates on
planting the catalpa are from a pam
phlet by John P. Brown of Illinois, a
specialist on tree culture.
Oneyear- trees are always used
in forest planting, and these may be
had at from IS to $40 per 1000 trees.
The utmost care should be observed
in obtaining the hardly Western Ca
talpa speciosa. Unless it is specially
desirable to start with the seed, by all
means purchase 1-year plants.
In growing plants the seed should be
drilled in nursery rows about twenty
five or thirty per foot, with rows four
feet apart, covered very lightly, kept
clean from grass and weeds and trans
planted the first year. There are 10000
seeds to pound.
Thorough cultivation is essential. In
the autumn when the wood has ripened
they are taken up, tied in punches of
100 and heeled in for the winter. In
spring, with the ground well prepared,
furrow out deeply rows eight feet
apart, and plant trees eight feet in the
rows. the immediate spaces being
cultivated in potatoes, corn or some
non-vining vegetable. Neither weeds
nor grass should be permitted to grow,
a sod Of grass will quickly ruin the
catalpa.