576 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



We found the native Cuban very ac- 

 commodating and hospitable. They Hve 

 easily in quite a primitive way. All of 

 them raise large families, some houses 

 where we stayed at night having from 

 fifteen to twenty-four children. I don't 

 know where they put them all at night ; 

 for they always gave us room to hang 

 up our hammocks. 



I found many Americans in Cama- 

 guay Province, near the railroad, rais- 

 ing grapefruit and sugar cane. Sugar 

 cane grows here from 15 to 20 years 

 from one planting, requiring no cultiva- 

 tion during that time. The land is first 

 cleared by cutting down all brush and 

 timber and then dry burned. The cane 

 is planted among stumps and logs by 

 using a bar to punch a hole in the 

 ground and sticking in a piece of cane. 

 After fifteen or twenty years it is 

 plowed and new cane planted. 



I saw a small ci:cular-saw mill at 

 Moron, Cuba. They were cutting all 

 kinds of native woods. Most of the 

 logs came from a distance of twenty 

 miles and were hauled in cane carts, in 

 a most awkward manner. The capacity 

 of this mill, I should think, was about 



n,000 feet per day, and most of the lum- 

 ber, after being sawed, was cut up into 

 cart material. 



I also saw a small band mill in Ha- 

 vana. It sawed logs that were shipped 

 in on cars from the lower end of the 

 island. All of the lumber cut in this 

 mill was worked up into carts, furni- 

 ture, interior finishes, etc., in a factory 

 connected with the mill. 



There are few mills on the island 

 and very little timber. What timber 

 there is, I was told, is in Oriente Prov- 

 ince and Camaguay Province. The 

 tracts that I looked at are said to be the 

 best timbered tracts on the island. 



A railroad has been surveyed near 

 these lands and will probably be built 

 this year. This would give this part of 

 the island an outlet which is greatly 

 needed. The timber could then be han- 

 dled and the lands, which are the very 

 best cane lands, could be put into cane 

 cultivation, tobacco or fruit. 



I took a great many views of the tim- 

 ber, but owing to the thick brush and 

 heavy overhead foliage and shadows 

 few of them were good. 



MY HEROES 



Bx ]. R. Simmons. 



I stood, today, beneath a mighty tree. 



And gazed upon its lofty trunk and crown, 



Scarred body, branches gnarled and leaves of brown; 



In silence looking upward wonderingly. 



Full oft have I thus pondered on the sea. 



Or on the mountains, when the sun was down, 



Upon their age and grandeur, or the sound 



Of rushing waters and the whispering breeze, 



To waken and inspire the best in me. 



Comes then the thought of those strong men I've known 



Who've stood and fought their battles, like this tree. 



They know it not. but when each deed is done 



Of theirs, I marvel e'en as silently, 



And owe them each small victory / have won. 



