The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-06-01
RAISING TREES
IN BALDWIN
COUNTY
|. IN. R. R. Has Large Tract at
CaTney'S Station in Flourish
ing Condition.

The Bay Minette Times publishes
the following article relative to Catal-
pa culture by the L. G. n. R. R.:
The Louisville & Nashville Railroad
Company has gone into the tree rails
ing industry on a large scale.
Realizing that the rapidity with
which the forests Of Alabama are be-
ing depleted, would result in ten years
in timber famine" the Louisville &
Nashville Company took up the ques-
ton some years ago of tree planting
with a view of growing timber which
could be used for fence posts and cross
ties. Through Superintendent j. L.
Mckinney, of the Mobile and Mont
gomery division, assisted by John, p.
Brown, editor of AboTiculture, a maya
zine published at COnnersVille, Ind,
in the interest of forestry, one thOus-
and and forty acres of land was pur-
chased near Carney's Station, on the
Mobile and Montgomery division Of
the sytem in Baldwin county. The
land was purchased in May, 1905. Mr..
Mckinney began at once to have the
ground cleared and prepared for plant
ing The catalpa sDeciosa trees which
is remarkable for its quick growth
and its durability of wood for all pur-
poses.
The trees Of this species make a
growth of more than an inch in diane
ter and seven and eight feet in height
in a year and cross ties made from
the catalDa have been known to last
thirty-two. years. Immense fortunes
have been made in the west from the
sale of the timber of the catalpa tree.
Mr. Mckinney completed the clear
ing and planting of $50 acres of the
Baldwin county land in catalpa trees
the first Of April, 1906. Every tree is
living and the growth they are show
ing is astonishing Although they
have been in the ground but sixty days
they have leaved out and show a
growth of more than three inches in
height. The remainder Of the ground
will be cleared up and planted this
year.
Trees planted by J. A. Carney near
the Louisville & Nashville land, in
spring of 1905, show the remarkable 81
growth Of seven feet in height in one
year. The catalpa grows straight and
tall like the pine trees and they thrive
best in a sandy soil. They can he
planted nine feet apart, or 900 to the
acre.
Superintendent Mckinney is deeply
interested IN the subject Of forestry,
and frequently takes trips to Baldwin,
county to watch the development of
his new enterprise. He is enthusiastic
on the subject. He says that if the
farmers of Alabama would interest
themselves in this matter of tree VI
ture It would only be a matter of a few
years until Alabama would prodreei
other forests in the place of those IL !
pleted. He advocates every famerI
planting a few trees each year.
Mr. Mckinney has made the catalpa
tree a matter of study and close OBJ
servance and he said that while the
species is the best yet grown, it must
not be COMPOUNDED with the catalpal
a species which neither
grows tall nor rapid.
Any one travelling between Mont |
gOmery and Mobile can see the trees
as they are planted along the line Of
he Louisville & Nashville railroad.
eff the commissioners of agricul-
-ure would interest themselves" said
Mr.. Mckinney, "and get the farmers to
plant these trees, it would result in
untold benefit to the future genera
ions of Alabama. In ten years. at
he rate of the depletion of Alabama
forests, We will not have timber for
my purposes. If the newspapers of
he state would take up the question
If tree planting and prosecute it with
igor the result could not fail of being
or the future good Of the state.'