l82 



THE FORESTER. 



August, 



this tree in the malarial districts. There 

 seems to be little reason for doubting its 

 efficiency in improving the healthful- 

 ness of these districts, although it is 

 often disputed. Just what it does is 

 not known but it has without doubt im- 

 proved the condition of several tropical 

 countries in which it has been planted for 

 this purpose. In the light of modern dis- 

 coveries as to the cause of malaria, and 

 the manner of its transmission, the Euca- 

 lyptus probably has no direct effect. It 

 seems that a special genus of mosquitoes 

 carry the protozoa of malaria from the 

 water to the individual. The Eucalyptus 

 probably accomplishes its good work by 

 sucking the water out of the soil and thus 

 depriving the mosquito and the malarial 

 parasite of their breeding place. The 

 amount of water transpired by these trees 

 is immense, in fact in calcareous soils 

 where drainage is difficult owing to pockets 

 in the rock, it is the easiest and most effi- 

 cient method. 



Cuba is a great cattle country, and there 

 is a great demand in consequence for 

 fence materials. The fences which now 

 exist consist mainly of barbed wire, 

 propped up with all kinds of sticks and 

 patched up with hedges of various kinds. 

 Most of this was bought by the Spanish 

 government for another purpose; it is 

 doing good work at last, however, in aiding 

 the cattle industry of the country. Good 

 posts are needed, and no doubt many of 

 the native woods are excellent for this 

 purpose. The Logwood, which yields a 

 valuable dye, is excellent for hedges. The 

 Chestnut and Locust might be grown with 

 profit for the purpose. The Locust might 

 escape the borer in Cuba as in southern 

 California. 



Grass grows well in Cuba in the shade 

 of trees, and the growing of trees, espe- 

 cially the Eucalyptus, and cattle raising 

 are not incompatible. The shade is of 

 great benefit to the cattle, and after the 

 trees have reached a few feet in height 

 the cattle do little injury. The Eucalypts 

 any way throw very little shade owing to 

 the fact that their leaves are edge to the sun. 



Cuba will soon need large quantities of 

 crates, boxes and baskets. These can be 



much more profitably imported in the 

 knockdown from this country, except the 

 cigar box, for which the West Indian 

 Cedar ( Credrela odorata) is the wood of 

 woods. Cedar and Mahogany are near 

 relatives. Both belong to the order Melia- 

 ceas, which is a group of broad-leaved, 

 quick-growing trees. I hope for the time 

 when these trees may be systematically 

 planted in Cuba. In Jamaica this Cedar 

 is dotted over pastures and along water- 

 courses. It grows to a large size and pro- 

 duces a handsome durable wood which 

 has been extensively used for furniture, 

 shingles and ornamental work. Cuban 

 Cedar is extensively used in this country in 

 the manufacture of high grade boats. The 

 Mahogany proper is the wood of all woods, 

 and can be easily grown in Cuba. 



Conifers are not common in the Tropics. 

 This is no great disadvantage. From a 

 silvicultural standpoint, especially as far 

 as the soil is concerned, there is little rea- 

 son for the encouragement of conifers 

 where quick-growing broad-leaved species 

 will grow. In certain parts of Cuba, es- 

 pecially Pinar del Rio and the Isle of 

 Pines, Pinus Cubensis is common. It usu- 

 ally grows in the poorest soils. It may be 

 found on dry obsidian ridges in Guatemala 

 and Honduras and on coral rock in the 

 Bahamas, where it was formerly known 

 by Pinus Bahamensis. Pines are usually 

 not common in tropical climes, although 

 there are several species such as Finns 

 Pinea which cannot endure a little cold. 

 No doubt there are several species of coni- 

 fers which will grow well in Cuba. Their 

 scarcity in tropical countries is probably 

 not because they do not like the climate, 

 but because they are overwhelmed and 

 crowded out by broad-leaved kinds. There 

 are, however, near relatives of the Pines 

 which thrive in the Tropics and produce 

 excellent woods such as the Podocarpus. 



It seems strange that some of the slow- 

 est growing and hardest woods of the 

 world are produced in the tropical cli- 

 mates : Lignumvitae for instance, which 

 is extensively shipped from Cuba. Close 

 by their side may be found, however, 

 rapid growers. The truth is that there 

 are rapid and fast-growing kinds in al- 



