THE CUBA REVIEW 



27 



AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL 



CUBAN WALNUTS 



In regard to walnuts and promoting the 

 •cultivation and sale for them, a writer on the 

 isubject says: 



"The Cuban walnut is a very interesting 

 species, of which we have heard for several 

 3'ears, but have never had the pleasure of see- 

 ing until recently when an excursion was made 

 under the auspices of the Cuban Agricultural 

 Experiment Station, in the interests of horti- 

 •culture. 



"The nuts are found in the mountain region 

 north of Taco-Taco, where there are apparently 

 vonly a few trees scattered along the river l)eds. 

 The habits and general contour of both the 

 Iree and the nuts resemlile very much those of 

 the black walnut of the United States; the 

 •botanical differences, however, are many. 



"The horticultural value of the Cuban wal- 

 jiut is intrinsic and it })romises to be of econo- 

 mic importance to the countrj', principally as 

 .a stock on which to graft imported varieites of 

 walnuts, pecans, etc. 



"The nut, in its wild state, compares favor- 

 .ably with the black walnut ; the kernel is much 

 more mild in flavor than that of the American 

 species. One of the most encouraging feat- 

 ures about the Cuban walnut is that it covers 

 a wide field of variation in size and shajje of 

 the nut; also in the thickness of the shell. This 

 matter of variation shows that the species may 

 •easily be improved by selection. 



"As a timber tree, the Cuban walnut grows 

 to an immense size; we have seen specimens 

 from two to three feet in diameter and eighty 

 or more feet in height. The wood is fine- 

 igrained and is in demand for caljinet work." 



MODEL CHICKEN FARM 



It is reported that a large chicken farm will 

 be started on President Menocal's property at 

 El Chico. It is intended to make the new 

 'chicken farm a model in every respect, and to 

 'demonstrate to Cuban formers that chicken 

 .farms can be made a profitable investment. 



CUBAN PINEAPPLES 



Although Cuba is the leading source of 

 fresh pineapples sent to the United States, it 

 "is stated that the quantity shipped from Cuba 

 does not increase, and that while the consump- 

 iiion of pineapples is rapidly growing in the 

 United States, it is thought the that Hawaiian 

 and Porto Rican pineapples are being more 

 largely used. 



HOG CHOLERA 



There has been a severe outbreak of hog 

 ■cholera at San Jose de Las Lajas. Energetic 

 •efforts are being made by the Department of 

 Agriculture to stamp out the epidemic. 



THE TIMBER RESOURCES OF CUBA 



The forest areas of the island are mainly in 

 the Santiago district, and although during the 

 last decade immense areas have Ijeen cleared 

 for cultivation, it is e-stimated that aliout one- 

 seventh of the cultivable area of Camaguey 

 and Oriente Provinces yet remains in primeval 

 forests. While undoubtedly there still ex- 

 ists in the Cuban forests much valuable tim- 

 ber, they have been depleted to a great extent 

 of those valuable woods for which there is a 

 demand in foreign markets, especially cedar 

 and mahogany. The Government exercises 

 control over tlie forests, whether of public or 

 private ownership, and no timber can be cut 

 for any purjiose without a permit being ob- 

 tained from the chief of the Bureau of Forestry 

 of the district in which the timber is situated. 

 Notwithstanding the stringent laws and regu- 

 lations adopted to prevent the cutting of tim- 

 ber on lands by persons who have no right 

 thereto, the forests on lands belonging to the 

 State have been robbed, and in agreat measure, 

 stripped of their most valuable products. 

 Much of the land classified as forest or timber- 

 land has long since been stripped of all timber 

 of marketable value, and at the present rate, 

 with no effort at renewal, it will not he long 

 until no merchantalale tim})er will he found 

 in the island. — Journal of the Society of Arts., 

 London. 



SERUM IS DISTRIBUTED ALL OVER THE 

 ISLAND 



Dr. Crespo, veterinary surgeon attached to 

 the Department of Agriculture, has given out a 

 statement on the steps which are being taken 

 to combat hog cholera and foot and mouth 

 disease in this island. He said that 130,000 

 grammes of serum had ah'eady been prepared 

 and that 102,000 gi'ammes have already been 

 distributed among different farming centers. 

 —Post. 



FRUIT GROWERS 



It is reported that the growth of the citrus 

 fruit industry in Cuba has affected Florida 

 growers. The increased capacity of the 

 transportation lines from Cuba and the Isle of 

 Pines to the United States has enabled the 

 West Indian growers to more successfully 

 compete with the Florida growers than has 

 been the case hitherto. 



CITRUS TREE REGULATIONS 



The Department of Agriculture of the 

 United States has notified the Cuban Govern- 

 ment that until further notice the importa- 

 tion of citrus trees or seeds from Cuba is pro- 

 hibited in order to prevent the spread of 

 citrus canker in the United States. 



