THE CUBA REVIEW 21 



mere fraction of former amounts, and building operations decreased materially. The 

 preliminary figures giving our total lumber exports to Cuba during the calendar year 1921 

 will not exceed 120,000,000 feet. 



Principal Uses for Lumber in Cuba 



Few foreign countries are so dependent upon importation of their necessities as Cuba. 

 With the exception of sugar, tobacco, grapefruit, pineapples, tropical hardwood, and a 

 few other tropical products, there are very few local industries in Cuba. Consequently, 

 the demand for lumber is chiefly restricted to ordinary building and construction purposes. 

 Owing to the effects of the moist, tropical climate and the ravages of the white ant (comojen) 

 and of the teredo, the life of ordinary construction lumber, such as pine and spruce, is very 

 short. For this particular reason this market demands a low-grade material for ordinary 

 construction purposes. The bulk of the lumber imported into Cuba is used in the rural 

 districts and not in the larger cities. The materials used for house construction purposes 

 in the cities are largely stone, stucco, or concrete, and the floors are of tiles manufactured 

 in Cuba. Several cities have passed strict regulations prohibiting the use of wooden floors. 

 There is no demand for wooden baths in Cuba. The use of shingles is practically unknown, 

 tiles, cement, or patent roofing being almost exclusively employed. Doors, sashes, and 

 window blinds are usually made of native woods because of their greater durability. 



In the rural districts most of the farmhouses resemble shacks, the walls being con- 

 structed of low-grade southern pine, usually covered with straw roofs. The more sub- 

 stantial residences are built along the same lines as those in the cities. During the boom 

 years many sugar mills constructed a large number of wooden houses for their laborers, for 

 which large quantities of southern pine were demanded. Southern pine is also extensively 

 used for the construction of sheds, barns, and outhouses on the farms and plantations. 



Furniture, Boxes, Shocks, and Staves 

 Limited quantities of southern pine, white pine, and spruce are used in the manufacture 

 of cheaper grades of furniture, but native woods lend themselves better to these purposes, 

 owing to their greater durability, although they are more expensive. American oak is also 

 subject to the ravages of the white ant and is not extensively used. The same condition 

 applies to joinery. 



The tobacco export trade is important, but considerable quantities of southern pine, 

 spruce, and to a lesser extent gum box shooks are demanded for heavy packing cases. 

 Spanish cedar is used almost exclusively for cigar boxes. There may be an opening for 

 American cigar-box woods for the local market if the price is made attractive. 



The values of the exports of American box shooks to Cuba for the period of 1913-1920 

 are as follows: 



.American Exports of Box Shoors to Cuba 

 Fiscal Year Value Calendar Year Value 



1913 $296,000 1918 8569,000 



1914 338,000 1919 697,000 



1915 340,000 1920 1,249,000 



1916 523,000 



1917 469,000 



Cuba has in the past offered a good market for American cooperage, chiefly used by 

 the breweries, distilleries, and sugar mills. The export of staves from the United States 

 to Cuba declined from $286,787 in 1920 to vS55,608 in 1921. As soon as the present com- 

 mercial depression is over Cuba will again be in the market for this commodity. 



Requirements for Railways and Boat Building 

 Cuba has 2,400 miles of railways, and considerable imported lumber has been used in 

 the past and wiU be used in the future for railway construction. The equipment has 

 chiefly been shipped from the United States, and a large quantity of American lumber is 

 needed every year for car repairs. Cypress ties have been used to a considerable extent, as 

 it is claimed that this wood shows some resistance to the attacks of the white ant. 



The following figures show the exports of American railway ties to Cuba and indicate 



