Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-10-22
Profits in cataipa Plantations.

. Profits in cataipa Plantations.
! Greater skill and attention to DE-
tails are required to grow ca'aipa
profitably than perhaps any other tree
, In the first place. the seed OF young
trees must all be- OF the particular
snecies known as hardy cataipa: the
! others for production of wood. are
rot worth the planting. The soil must
be rich and rather moist. and must
no. contain too much alkali. heh'
ever the Young trees are making
low branching growth so that they
will be unsuited for posts or poles
they should be "cut back, that H.
cut close to the ground. when TWO
Or three years old, just as II they
large enough for market. Severai
sprouts Immediately spring up from
each stump grow vigorously. and the
competition for sunlight stimulates
height growth and encourages natural
urnning. This enables the tree 10
form a straighter stem with fewer
branches. At the end of the season
the sprout is nearly as tai as the
three-year-old tree would have been'
The many disappointments In grow
inc catalpa are attributable largely
to unfavorable site and stock OF an
inferior kind OF catalpa- Crooked
1imbv trees also often result when
the trees are not cut back. ana
where dhe limbs. after attaining
some size. are broken of. decay en-
ters and the heart rot so injurious
to the tree begins.
When trees are cut back the planta-
tion must be sprouted. either by re-
moving the undesirable sprouts while
green, or by cutting them out the foi
! loving winter with an ak. All but the
. stroneet one or two sprouts are re-
moved. -.
| After ten years under best condi'
tions the first crop has gained the
size at which it can be cut most pro
fitably for posts. Each tree shouio
then produce one first-class post
worth - or "A cents. one second-ciass
most worth 8 cents, and two or three
, STAYS worth 3 cents each. FROM tne
small and crooked limbs considerable
f1rewood is secured. which. In large
plant ation is sawed into stove Fngths
and piled convenient for shipping al
the same time that the posts are saw
cd. After all material of value mas
been removed, men go through the
plantation with long poles Which are
pushed ahead of them under the bfus"
, when considerable amount mas
been collected the pole is tilted up
, right, forming a nea; pie OF p'ush
for burning. The Plantation is tnu>
kept free from distractions A vlgor
Gus root system has now developed
and future crops are grown troih
sprouts in 8 years.
In catalapa. heartwood forms early
| This Is in marked contrast with some
woods. black walnut for instance
which contains but little heartWooo
until after the tree is fifty years Ola
On account of its tendency to mature
early. catalpa is especially adap'eo
! for wood crops Of short rotation
), Other favorable qualities are its
| speedy growth. its power OF endurih-
l frequent cutting back, and hgh'
/ weight. The wood is strong. straight
grained. and durable.
\ The Yaggy plantation. 4 miles IRON
Hutchinson, Nlns.. comprises ON
\ acres Of catalpa. and Is one OF the
most successful and profitable IN 'h'
! country. The trees are planted at I'D
teryals Of four feet in row SIX zee
/, srsrt. or Is00i1e60 rer acre. Thus. u
each tree yielded posts to the value
| q; &C cents. an acre would yield $544.
50 every six years. This docs not IN
Glide the firewood. Exceliert snip
LING facilities are affordei ~ twf
| railway lines which gun 's-oTgh fn'
h rIan,ation and have estao.'shed
| 81 alton which is named for Mr.. Yaggy
\ Connection If made with other RAJ.
roads at Hutchinson. Mr.. Yaggy esq
|, mates the income from his plantation
for the first crop TO be as follow:
|. f,he seedlings were home grown: W
| terest on the investment. not iuc'udet
In these figures. should be considereo
.Inves:mcS:-. .....
n investment.
Cost Of land per acre (tfrst
year, .....- .......--.
| Cost CT seedlings per acre tarSt
III year, ....-..- SO.
/ Cos. Of transplanting per acre
first year, ...... 49,. o.
Cost Of cutting back per acre
II tyhird year, -'
|, Supcrintendents. implements.
Ere guards. ETC.. at % cents
per acre pcr year. 90
Cutting and marking per acre
ii .... .......-.. $3.50. -
sszss
Returxa
/, vaIse Of posts per acre