Page:Growing Black Locust Trees.djvu/4

2 since 1933 in the greatest known era of growing and planting black locust seedlings. In some soils and localities this has been overdone.

The black locust was introduced into Europe more than a century ago and has been extensively planted and is greatly appreciated.

Black locust is found widely over the United States, especially in the eastern half. Its native or original home, however, was probably in the Appalachian Mountains, including the outlying piedmont, where it grew singly or in small groups among other hardwood trees.

Black locust is generally recommended for planting from southern New England through New York and Pennsylvania, south to Georgia, and west as far as Illinois, Missouri, and Texas. Limestone soils and the brown loams and other well-drained areas in the lowlands of the central Mississippi Valley are particularly favorable for its rapid growth. Black locust has spread over the Arkansas-Missouri-Oklahoma uplands. Under irrigation it is proving successful and valuable in many parts of the Western States.

In certain regions the climate seems to be unfavorable for the growth of locust. For example, northern New England, and some of the lake States appear to be too cold for successful commercial plantations and most of the southern coastal plain too hot. Serious losses from the locust borer have been reported from various places in Pennsylvania, from the low country of the Ohio River Valley and other parts of Ohio and Kentucky, from parts of Indiana and of the Iowa-Missouri area. However, locust is successfully grown in various other places in these States, and the State forestry agencies of practically all of these States are recommending the planting of locust. The explanation seems to lie largely in the favorableness or unfavorableness of the soil.