16 THE CUBA REVIEW 



Flora 



By reason of its flowers of infinite variety and beauty, Cuba might be called '' Araby 

 the Blest." Together with a variety of roses, violets and carnations are a large variety 

 of tropical flowers, with white satiny petals and intoxicating fragrance. There are the 

 beautiful "mariposa, " called the butterfly on account of its shape, and the passion flower, 

 with the emblems of the crucifixion, the "espiritu santo," resembling a white dove, 

 " diamela, " a double jessamine, " Jazmin de Espana, " a single jessamine or cape jessamine. 

 These flowers bloom in Cuban gardens and shed their fragrance around, while white and 

 pink "coralillo" entwine themselves around the pillars of suburban dwellings. Another 

 vine is the "piscuala," which opens its blossoms of virginal white, turns pink and red as 

 the day wears away and has a faint perfume like strawberries. The "ghost flower" 

 grows on a high bush and is very fragrant. San Juan lilies and fleur de lis are also very 

 beautiful and sweet. "Malva rosa," hibiscus, is also one of the attractive flowers in 

 Cuban gardens. Verbenas, dahlias, asters, chrysanthemums, heliotrope and pinks 

 grow in profusion. At Christmas time the fields and waysides are covered with the 

 "flor de Pascua," a little white flower which blooms in clusters and sheds its soft fra- 

 grance on the air. It is a variety of the cinnamon familj'. A small blue flower called 

 "embeleso" is very dainty. A delicate pink flower which is too fragile to pluck is called 

 "maravilla." It lends perfume to the garden, but cannot figure in a nosegay. The 

 "paraiso" grows in clusters on a high shrulD or tree and is very much like the heliotrope. 



Fragrant vines and climbers are the honeysuckle, cape jessamine, piscuala, coralillo, 

 stephanotis, bouganvillea, ipemea and the moon flower. There are many climbers 

 among the roses, such as gold button, General Lamarciue, General Washington and 

 the Emperor of China. 



Rippling fountains in courts and gardens and fancy grottoes enhance the pleasures 

 of Cuban homes. 



Everj^one is fond of flowers. Pickannies will beg for flowers or steal them from 

 gardens and the most humble home displays a pot of flowers in court or window. 



For decoration there is nothing i^etter than the handsome palms and cocoanut trees. 



Medicinal Plants 



There are three hundred and fifty plants indigenous to the soil of Cuba, as well as 

 many imported from abroad. Among the former are many that possess medicinal prop- 

 erties. In rural districts where it is difficult to procure medical attendance, the guajiros 

 (country people) and colored people are skilled in the use of these plants or herbs and have 

 at their command many home remedies for the "ills mankind is heir to." An excel- 

 lent cure for whooping cough is an infusion of hibiscus (mar pacifico), but of course it is 

 not wise to use such remedies without an exact knowledge of how to prepare them. 



The majugua, belonging to the linden species, makes an excellent medicine for bron- 

 chitis. For severe colds nothing is so good as an infusion of leaves of the sour orange 

 tree, an easy and safe remedy. Fig leaves also are excellent for hoarseness. Febrifuges 

 are manufactured from the aguedita, guanina and escoba amarga. Caisimon makes 

 a good ointment for ulcers. Mala cara is an excellent caustic and the fruit is an astringent. 

 The inner leaf or fold of the banana tree, soft and smooth as satin, affords a good dressing 

 for wounds and fever sores. 



Colored women use the leaves of the plantain anointed with grease or cocoanut butter, 

 bound to their temples, as a remedy for headache. 



Electric Plant U. S. Exports of Potatoes to Cuba 



The construction of an electric plant of Cuba takes the greater part of the pota- 



2,000 kilowatts capacity is well under way toes exported from the United States, the 



in Cardenas and is expected to be completed exports to that country during the past 



in February. The approximate cost of the three years having averaged about 2,467,- 



plant is $340,000. 000 bushels annually. 



