139 



House icalls. — The basal part of the leaf stalk is a broad long woody- 

 portion which clasps the trunk for its whole length and whose lower 

 end leaves a narrow horizontal scar where it was attached to the trunk. 

 These fall with the leaf, and are dampened and flattened by weights. 

 Bundles of these leaf bases are an article of sule in places where the 

 palms are scarce, and they may be seen piled up in stores for sale. 

 They are trimmed and tied to the framework of the house. They are 

 placed in two rows, the side of one overlapping another and the lower 

 ends of the upper row overlapping the lower row. They also serve to 

 cover anything, and not unfrequently are used as tables. 



Rain, Coats. — One rainy afternoon several Cubans came to our camp 

 dressed in coats made of the green (freshly fallen) stalk. A hole had 

 been cut out of the centre through which the head was thrust, and the 

 two halves bent so as to cover the front and back. A string torn o£E 

 the edge of the same piece was used to tie it round the waist, the 

 whole making a peculiar but efficient coat of mail. 



Boxes and Baskets. — With a sharp knife which all Cubans carry, a 

 few minutes suffices to make one of these leaf bases into a receptacle 

 capable of holding water, vegetables, or similar things. Cuban tobacco 

 is always bound up and shipped from the plantation in a large bundle 

 wrapped in the bases of the leaf stalks. 



Thatch. — All Cuban houses outside of the towns have their roofs 

 covered thickly with thatch made from the long leaves of the palm. 

 It is usually cut intj two or three parts, and tied to the pole rafters 

 with palm leaf string. 



String and Rope. — Either split parts of the leaf base or the division 

 of the leaf are used, either twisted or not. No nails are used in the 

 construction of the houses — the poles, thatch and siding being tied on. 



Canes. — A strip of the wood worked round and polished, makes a 

 presentable cane. 



Brooms. — The flower stalk and its divisions is a large affair. With 

 the berries off, it is bound about its centre, and the numerous small 

 twigs are ready for work. It is a common article of every Cuban 

 house, and the earth, floors and surroundings are kept well swept. 



Chicken and Fig Feed. — The bunches of berries are carefully cut off 

 and lowered by a palm leaf rope to the ground, and then laid across 

 the chicken or pig pen to be eaten as desired. 



Paper. '-The inside layer of the base of the leaf stalk is very fine 

 aod white, and is used for writing purposes, 



Jf^ine. — This is made from the berries when in a green state. A 

 gun-shot fired into a bunch of fruit is sure to res i; It in a shower of 

 juice. Woodpeckers are fond of this and will tap the berries or the 

 base of the fresh leaf stalk and sip the juice. 



Nest of Woodpeckers.— 'The large Cuban woodpecker always excav- 

 ates a large hole about two-thirds up the trunk of a live tree, and rears 

 its young in the cavity. 



Jiood. — When a tree is felled, the mass of embryo leaves are cut out 

 forming a lump about 18 inches long by 6-8 inches in diameter, of 

 beautilul creamy whiteness. 



Without the royal palm the people of Cuba would be poor indeed. 

 With the coco-nut, banana, sweet potato and palm, they are able to 

 exist comfortably with a mild climate. — {Plant World.) 



