18 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



Active samples of the Microcycas Calocoyna have been collected, a very rare cycadaceous 

 plant which is only found in a region in Cuba, and many new plants of an economical 

 interest for our country, on which plants experiments are being made, have been imported 

 from other tropical countries. 



The Department of Chemistry has done during the last few months a very practical and 

 useful work studying the palmetto and the nut-palm tree as oleaginous seeds, and has analyzed 

 the waste from the plantations ashes, refuse of sugar cane and what is called cachaza, or first 

 froth of cane juice, in order to study their better utility. Lately a grass has been found which 

 abounds in Cuba, the ashes of which contain 53% of potash. 



At the same time the Department of Vegetal Entomology and Pathology is carrying on 

 practical studies for the purpose of overcoming the scourge that attacks the vines, and lately 

 has discovered an insect which is an enemy of the black fly, and is experimenting with it in 

 order to get rid of the homopterous fly. 



An exhibition of breeding cattle at the Agricultural Experimental Station at Santiago 



de las Vegas, February 16th. 



The pathologist of said department is experimenting with special small fungi to kill 



the flv. 



The Zootechnic Department, since Dr. Castro took charge of it, has been transformed 

 entirely, having introduced many improvements in all its branches and having accomplished 

 very interesting experiments both with cattle and horses as well as with the domestic fowls. 



The Epizootic Laboratory is preparing large quantities of vaccine as a prevention against 

 the carbuncle and a serum against smallpox. 



In order to have an idea of the activities of the Agricultural Station, we shall say that 

 during the last four months the amount of correspondence was the following: 



