18 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



Dr. Juan T. Roig y Mesa, botanist of the 

 station, has the following to say regarding this 

 valuable tree: 



A few cla\'s after we found the specimens at 

 Taco-Taco, we received from Trinidad, Santa 

 Clara Province, several fruits and leaves of a 

 species of walnut growing on the mountains 

 of that region. The fruits of the walnut from 

 Trinidad resemble very much those of the 

 Taco-Taco variety, though they are not en- 

 tirely equal, but a little longer and more 

 acuminate. Moreover, the leaves are lighter 

 in color and with an ashy shade beneath, 

 which is not apparent in the former species. 



There are probably walnuts in the Province 

 of Santiago de Cuba and also in other moun- 

 tain regions of the island; perhaps there is 

 more than one species. 



The trees sometines attain a height of one 

 hundred feet or over, and are found in some 

 abundance on mountains of certain altitude. 

 The small plants are seen growing on the 



sandy deposits and along the river beds of the 

 highlands. 



These trees are very Uttle known in Cuba 

 outside the regions where they grow, and al- 

 though they are native, many a Cuban would 

 be surprised if told there were native nuts in 

 Cuba almost as good as those imported and 

 of nearly the same size. 



The walnut is employed in Cuba only as a 

 timper plant and even this is on a very limited 

 scale. The bark is used as a drastic and a 

 decoction of the same is used in washing the 

 crustaceous scabs in lepro.sy, it being con- 

 sidered a very efficient apphcation for that 

 disease. 



The existence in this country of one or 

 more species of native walnuts is a matter of 

 great importance. The shell is not much 

 thicker, but the central wall is much more so. 

 As to the flavor, it is almost the same as that 

 of the P^uropean nut, — perhaps a little more 

 mild and less oily. 



THE AMERICAN HOME NEEDED IN CUBA 



AMERICAN HOME BUILDERS NEEDED 



To the Editor of The Cuba Review: 



Dear Sir: 



I am writing this with a hope that froin 

 what I write, you will write and publish in 

 your very substantial magazine an article that 

 will assist in clearing the atmosphere in regard 

 to a very dangerous question — the relations 

 of the American people to Cuban indepen- 

 dence and to the Cuban people. 



I have a shght personal acquaintance with 

 General Menacol, and have observed his 

 business and public hfe closely. 



He fully, without reserve, believes in Cuban 

 indejiendence. He offered his hfe as a soldier 

 for Cuban freedom, and would promptlj^ 

 and cheerfully do so again. 



As a business man, as a man of good com- 

 mon sense, deeply interest erl in the prosperity 

 of Cuba and its people, he desires the closest 

 possible commercial relations with the United 

 States and its people. 



Every educated Cuban knows that Cuban 

 independence is due to the power of the 

 United States, and its continuation depends 

 on Ihe pretection and good will of the large 

 majority of the citizens of the Great Repubhc 

 who believe in a government of the people. 



Take away the Monroe Doctrine, and the 

 kindly feeling of the people of the United 

 States, and Cuban independence would fade 

 away in a very short time. Everyone who 

 reads and keeps up with the world thought 

 knows that Germany or England would 

 gobble up the rich island in short order. 



The only possible guarantee of a Cuban 

 Repubhc is the power of the Great Colossus 

 of the North. 



Of course General Menocal, the Cuban 

 people and a lot of us Americans would fight 

 against our conquest by any European Gov- 

 ernment, but we know that our efforts would 

 be more glorious than effective against the 



power of either Germany or England at this 

 time. 



Most Cubans are the descendants of Span- 

 ish parents. Is there anything in the past or 

 present that would make their children more 

 in favor of an independent government than 

 my children born here will be? 



As far as the independence of the country 

 is concerned, there are no better Cubans than 

 my boys and myself. 



I think the Americans will make the very 

 best of Cuban citizens because they are home 

 builders — and Cuba needs home builders 

 badly — men who devote all their labor and 

 time growing money crops, like sugar and 

 tobacco — and if they fail, have nothing to eat — 

 are not good citizens. The situation in Pinar 

 del Rio illustrates it fairly. The people de- 

 vote all their energy to raising tobacco. They 

 had very unfavorable weather in 1911 and 

 1912 — for tobacco, and they became public 

 paupers, and many moved to other sections. 

 Another year there are good crops of tobacco 

 and it is very difficult to find labor to take 

 care of it. Had those people been home 

 owners and raised something to eat, they 

 could have weathered the unfavorable season 

 or two, and the country would have been 

 much better off, as well as themselves. 



I know many Cubans are afraid of too much 

 American. It is a mistake. I am fully satisfied 

 that 1,000 American home builders will be of 

 more service in the coming years in building 

 up Cuba than any 10,000 laborers from the 

 South of Europe. And the Americans will be 

 more strongly in favor of Cuban independence. 



A READER. 



Havana, Cuba. 



A new theatre in Sagua la Grande was in- 

 augurated on November 5th. The new 

 theatre is owned by Messrs. Santos and Arti- 

 gas and cost $80,000. It is a most imposing 

 s tructure, with a central .staircase of marble. 



