FORESTRY 



391 



dipping flight ahead of us of certain water 

 birds that someone named "fly-up-the- 

 stream." We feasted our eyes on the ten- 

 der, shimmering greens of white stemmed 

 poplars, the glistening bronze of swamp 

 maples, blended with the purple gray of 

 maples not yet burst into leaf, and all 

 mistily reflected in the quiet gray of the 

 water. We heard the determined wood- 

 pecker knocking for dinner on his favorite 

 doors, and the gurgling cries of blackbirds 

 from tree to tree in the swamps. 



We returned home a 'bit cynical as to 

 the reality of river drives, only to have our 

 faith reinspired by more fascinating tales 

 from the lips of our guides and friends, 

 and our imaginations stimulated by photo- 

 graphs of the fair sights we sought in vain. 

 Truth compels me to add that we did in 

 the end see the river drivers break up a 

 jam, but in a tame and spiritless manner 

 that only added fuel to our smouldering 

 resentment. We were rowed by a small 

 boy some 2 miles up the river in the wake 

 of another boat, containing 2 alleged driv- 

 ers, going up stream to break up an al- 

 leged jam. The jam was a solid floor of 

 logs spread calmly out and arranged as if 

 by system, neatly side by side, across the 

 river. The men walked out on this floor, 

 which gave slightly under their tread, ris- 

 ing and falling with the motion of the 

 current, and poked out a few of the lead- 

 ing logs that had caused the obstruction; 

 when all others meekly followed their lead- 

 ers down stream. 



The Frenchy, for my special benefit, fin- 

 ished with a little pyrotechnic display of 

 skill, riding off alone on a big log that 

 turned under his feet, while he balanced 

 himself like a barrel walker at the circus. 

 Of the many anecdotes with which our 

 minds were stored, one in particular re- 

 mains, and concerning its hero we now 

 proudly say, "I knew him." An Adiron- 

 dack lumber company, managing from a 

 New York office an extensive tract of tim- 

 ber, with its corresponding quota of camps 

 and mills, its forces of mill hands, sawyers, 

 skidders, and drivers, has for boss of the 

 river drivers a canny and forceful moun- 

 taineer. A mill superintendent from the 

 office that is the connecting link between 

 New York and the camps went up to the 

 creeks when the river drives were on. To 

 his inexperienced eye the inevitable jams, 

 with their dynamite explosions, seemed a 

 bungle and a blunder. He reported to the 

 New York office that the river drives were 

 being bungled. The New York office tele- 

 graphed, "Stop the drives." The mill of- 

 ficer sent a messenger on horseback 20 

 miles up into the mountains, "Stop the 

 drives." The boss of the drivers knew his 

 business. He knew that the loss of a day 

 meant a waste of time, of labor, and the 

 risk of not getting the logs through be- 



fore low water. Waist deep in the icy 

 stream, pole in hand, he paused to read 

 the telegram. 



"To hell with the New York office," he 

 cried, "and on with the drive." 



THE FORESTS OF CUBA. 

 I. G. 



One is surprised to find so much of the 

 island of Cuba bare. Even in the moun- 

 tainous districts the forests are sparse and 

 thin. Immense areas have been cleared for 

 cane and tobacco plantations, and fires 

 have been constantly set to improve the 

 pasturage. Wood and charcoal are in great 

 demand for fuel. There is also a great need 

 for fence material and poles for the drying 

 of tobacco. 



One of the best woods of Cuba which has 

 been practically exhausted is the Cuban 

 cedar, Cedrela odorata. This is a mag- 

 nificent tree, not very different from ma- 

 hogany; in fact, both belong to the order 

 Meliacece. The wood of the West Indian 

 cedar is extensively used in the manufac- 

 ture of cigar boxes. It is claimed that this 

 wood imparts to the cigar an agreeable 

 flavor. 



The Cuban pine, Pinus hcteropkylla, is 

 still quite common in Pinar del Rio and the 

 Isle of Pines. This pine is common along 

 our gulf coast, in the Bahamas and in parts 

 of Central America. 



Trees are a great necessity in tropical re- 

 gions, especially on plantations, to temper 

 the fierceness of the tropical heat. In fact, 

 shelter is necessary for the production of 

 certain crops, such as chocolate and coffee. 

 Northern crops may be raised in Cuba if 

 they are sheltered from the sun. An ex- 

 cellent tree for Cuba is the eucalyptus. It 

 drains the soil, reduces the danger of ma- 

 laria, affords shade to other crops, and pro- 

 duces a useful crop of wood in a short time. 

 The eucalyptus tree will grow in Cuba at 

 the rate of 10 feet in height each year. 

 Trees of this species have been extensively 

 planted in Italy, Algeria, South Africa. 

 California and Jamaica. 



The glory of Cuba is the royal palm. It 

 is everywhere abundant, along water- 

 courses, in fields and in long avenues on 

 plantations. From this tree the native gets 

 materials out of which he builds his hut. 

 It forms an excellent and cheap building 

 material for the poor classes of the island. 

 Another common tree in Cuba is the 

 silk cotton tree, or ceiba. It grows to im- 

 mense size, and is supported against the 

 tropical gales by huge buttresses. Its wood 

 is soft, and the trunk and limbs are usually 

 festooned with masses of epiphytic plants, 

 which cling with ease to its soft bark. It 

 was under a ceiba tree, now known as the 

 "Surrender Tree," that the Spanish general 

 surrendered his sword. It marks thu 



