28 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



THE ROSELLE, PLANT'S USES^ 



The roselle is one of the few plants of whicli the calyx is used as human food. It has 

 long been cultivated in Mexico, Central America, in Florida, Texas and in Queensland. 

 It grows freely in Cuba and many of its virtues are well appreciated. 



It belongs, like cotton, to the Malvaceae and it somewhat resembles the cotton plant 

 in its general aspect and it branches profusely. In rich soils the plant attains a height 

 of six feet. There are two distinct types of "roselle" : one contains a red pigment which 

 gives the characteristic brilliant red color to all the products of the plants belonging to 

 this type ; the other does not possess this pigment and all the ports of the plant are 

 greenish, whilst the calyces are straw colored or whitish. In the red type two varieties 

 may be noticed: Victor and Rico. The first is more erect in habit fhan the second and 

 earlier in fruiting. The calyces of the first are reddish, those of the second dark red. 



The plants of the type bearing white fruit are of a more upright habit than the 

 varieties of the red type, but they are not so vigorous and their calyces are smaller. 



The plant grows rapidly and requires much moisture : nevertheless the soil must be 

 well drained. 



The plants of the Victor variety in Florida yield an average of 12 lb. .5 oz. of first 

 flowers and 3 lb. 12 oz. of second flowers. Plants of this variety set 8 or 10 feet apart, 

 that is about 520 to the acre, produce about 75.6 cwt. or calyces per acre. In Hawaii 

 the crop of calyces ranges from 53.7 to 62.7 cwt. per acre. 



From the calyces, jellies and preserves are manufactured. With the fruit of the white 

 type wines and sirups are made. In India "roselle" is cultivated to some extent for its 

 fibre, and it is as a fibre plant that Hibiscus Sabdariffa might be taken into consideration 

 in the Philippines. If roselle were cultivated on a large scale, the stems, which contain 

 a strong fibre, might be utilized in the manufacture of paper and thus become a source 

 of profit instead of being an expense to the farmer who has to remove them to make 

 room for another crop. 



The only cryptogamic disease which attacks it can be controlled by dusting with 

 sulphur. The most serious enemy of the roselle is the root knot nematode (Heterodcra 

 radiciola ) against which no cheap and efl^ective remedy has yet been found. 



The cotton stained (Disdcrcns sufiirclhts) does some damage to the calyces in the 

 Philippines. Aphids that sometimes attack the young plants are readily controlled by the 

 application of tobacco dust. Two scale insects (Coccus hespcriduin and Hcmischionaspis 

 aspidistrae) have been recorded on the roselle, also a mealy bug {Pseudococcus sp.) 



* Wester, P. T. Roselle, its Cultivation and Uses. — Philippine Agricultural Revitw, Vol. V, No. 3, 

 pp. 123-132. Manila, Marcli, 1912. 



LIGHT TOBACCO IMMATURE 



"There is great difficulty found in con- 

 vincing the smoking public that a light 

 cigar is not necessarily mild," said recently 

 E. H. Gato of New York. "A cigar with 

 a rich brown color is undoubtedly the best 

 that can be found, but by this I do not 

 mean cigars commonly classified as 'black.' 

 A good part of the light tobacco used is 

 immature, and, consequently, does not have 

 its full quota of natural aroma and taste. 

 All tobacco is brought in green from the 

 plant and is then hung up to mature. As 

 this .maturing process, or sweating, goes 

 on, the leaves gradually assume a darker 

 shade. As they are usually available in the 

 various stages of maturity the color of the 

 selection of leaves that have reached the 

 age sufficient to give them the desired 

 color. Doing this, however, and making 

 them up in this immature condition robs 

 the cigars of a good portion of their quality 

 and aroma. A cigar made of such tobacco 

 is mild and makes a very good smoke. Un- 

 fortunately though, only a fair portion of 

 the average crop is naturally light." 



The cover page of this issue illustrates 

 El Siboney factory in Havana. 



The building is located at No. 193 Carlos 

 III Avenue and is a modern four-story 

 structure of structural steel and cement. 

 It was constructed some years ago after 

 the burning of the Siboney factory, which 

 completely destroyed the building. 



Backed against the building are to be 

 seen the diff^erent delivery wagons used to 

 distribute the brands around the cigar 

 stands, cafes and stores. These wagons 

 also carry the supply to nearby towns 

 not reached bv the railroads. 



GILTNERBROS.,Einmence,Ky.,U.S.A. 



Dealers and breeders of 

 Kentucky Stallions, Mares 

 and Jacks. 



Hereford, Shorthorn, Hol- 



stein and Jersey bulls. Well 



broken mules in car lots for 



sugar planters. 



Export Trade a Specialty. 



Prices named on animals 



'■' delivered anywhere in the 



'' world. Write us your zvants. 



