Page:Tree Crops; A Permanent Agriculture (1929).pdf/322

 252 FACTS ABOUT CROP TREES

The bean is greedily eaten by all farm stock,* but I can get no measure of its actual productivity per unit of area.

H. J. Webber. Professor of Sub-tropic Horticulture and Director of Experiment Station at Riverside. California, gives me the following facts. They are illuminating as to the possibilities of native trees and suggestive as to the possibilities of introducing them from other places.

"T found the carob in a few places in Rhodesia and in the Transvaal, and there are some references to the production of carobs in the Department of Agriculture reports from the Transvaal, and also from the Department of Agriculture of southern Rhodesia. Mr. Walters of southern Rhodesia issued a bulletin on the carob which was published by the Department of Agriculture. I had not been in Africa long until I was impressed by the very large area in the central part of the country in the high plateau region where it appeared to me

§"In my section of the country in eastern Cuba, specially in Camaguey province, the cattle country of Cuba, the 'guasima' tree and the 'algaroba' are considered as valuable trees on account of the fruits that they bear in the dry season when the pastures are exhausted; in winter both fruits constitute a valuable food for the stock. Horses, cattle, mules, and hogs eat them. A great value is given to the fruit of the 'guasima' because the native farmer considers that fruit is specially adapted to feed the horse. Our cattle man, our native 'guajiro' collects the fruit of the 'guasima' and feeds his best pony on it because his animal will grow on a fine coat of hair." (Letter. Dr. Emilio L. Luaces. Santiago de las Vega. August 25, 1916.)

"The guasima tree is a native of Cuba but also of all tropical America and the species guazuma tomentosa is a native of Java too. Two species are known in Cuba as guasima. Guazuma ulmofolia, lam., and guazuma tomentosa. H.B.K, of the natural order sterculiaceae. Both are equally common and produce pods eaten by cattle.

"The guasima is perhaps the most vastly distributed tree over the Island. It is found in all kinds of soils even in the heights, except in the very arid

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"It is a quick grower and begins to produce after the fourth year.

"The guasima is used in Cuba mostly to feed the pigs, for which purpose when the forest lands are cleared up the only tree that is left is the guasima and sometimes the ceiba.

"The 'portreros' (pasture land) in Cuba are characterized by the abundance of the guasima tree under which the cattle find shade and some food." (Letter. Republica de Cuba. Secretaria de Agricultura. Comercio y Trabajo. Estacion Experimental Agronomica. Departamento de Botanica. Agosto 25 de 1916. Juan T. Roig.)