THE CUBA REVIEW 



23 



^ IT' 





"\fe 



1. Xative Cuban I'ine 



2. Yaiti 



3. Roble Guayo or Roble Prieto 



The "ocuje" is a tree found in all parts of Cuba, often in the high land forest, 

 but more frequently along the banks and in the valleys of streams, growing right 

 down to the water's edge. The tree becomes very large in favorable localities, and, 

 differing in this respect from nearly all other hardwoods of Cuba, it survives the fell- 

 ing of the forest around it, continuing to live in its isolation, and, therefore, frequently 

 occurs where no other timber still exists. The bark is corrugated, is a dark greenish 

 black and is quite thick, and underneath it is found in moderate sized trees from 

 one to two inches of sapwood, beneath which the heart, varying in color from pink 

 to a deep red, depending upon the age and rapidity of growth of the tree, is found. 

 The trees are usually sound and solid, the wood is light in weight, retains its pinkish 

 to red color when dry, is of a rather open grain, but is extremely tough and elastic. 

 It, therefore, is used very extensively in the manufacture of cart and wagon beds 

 and tongues, and shafts for carriages, as also very frequently for the spokes of 

 wheels. Where obtainable with ease it is frequently used for the main frames of 

 buildings. In fact, it is used wherever strength and lightness are necessary. 



The "yaba" is a tree quite distinct from the most of those found in Cuba. Attain- 

 ing a diameter of 2 to 3 feet, its bark is smooth and light colored and its leaves 

 resemble somewhat the walnut of the North, and at a certain time of the spring are 

 cast off to be followed by a lush velvety growth of the most beautiful brownish red 

 imaginable. The blossom of the tree is also beautiful, being of a dark lavender color, 

 and put forth contemporaneously with the young leaves, making a very beautiful 

 and rare combination. The heart of the tree usually forms the largest portion 

 of the trunk, and consists of alternate rings of reddish brown and whitish yellow 

 woods, these rings having a peculiar wavy outline. The wood is heavy, somewhat 

 open in texture, but very tough, and the grain is so interwoven that it is almost im- 

 possible to split it, resulting in the wood's having great strength, so that it is very 

 largely used for the manufacture of hubs for the wheels of the great carts utilized 

 for cane hauling and also for the spokes, fellows and axles of these wheels and 

 carts. The wood is very insect resistant ; in fact, the writer believes it to be poisonous 

 to insects, so that it can be used wherever the "comejen" or wood eating ant abounds, 

 with the assurance that whatever is constructed from it will be secure against their 

 attacks. Taken altogether, this is a most valuable wood. Of the "jucaros" there 

 are two classes, the yellow and the black. These trees grow only on low, usually sour, 



