35 Agricultural Cuba 



VALUABLE HARDWOOD OF CUBA 



The virgin forests of Cuba abound in valuable 

 hardwoods, such as mahogany, Spanish cedar, 

 rosewood, ebony, lignum-vitae and others. So 

 abundant, in fact, are the hardwoods in these 

 forests, that such valuable woods as mahogany, 

 ebony and lignum-vitae, are used as railroad ties, 

 while in the United States they are sold by the 

 pound. 



The constant demand for cedar and mahogany 

 has caused these two woods to be culled out of 

 every forest bordering on the seashore, as far 

 back as the price of the wood on the coast would 

 cover the cost of cutting, trimming, and hauHng 

 to deep water. This practice has been carried 

 on for one hundred or more years, and has caused 

 most of the coast land forests to be denuded of 

 the best known woods, large enough for com- 

 mercial purposes. 



With the completion of the Van Horn railroad, 

 which connects Havana, in the West, with 

 Santiago, in the East, another area of cedar and 

 mahogany was opened up and has been worked 

 quite extensively during the past twelve years. 



There are still large amounts of cedar, mahog- 

 any and other fine woods scattered throughout 

 the mountain districts, but they are unavailable 

 until more modern methods of transportation are 

 secured, than those furnished by the ox-cart. 

 These sections will remain as an unavailable asset 

 in the country's national wealth until enterprise 

 finds a way of transporting the product. 



There are three hundred and sixty-six different 

 woods registered and described in detail in the 



