New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05

A TREE CALLED BLESSED. OF WHICH EVERY
PART Is USEFUL
Robert Blight. in Current Literature.

Robert Blight. in Current Literature.
M, only IS the climate Of cuba favorable TO
the planting Of crops whenever the FARMER
cno.i.e >, liant them and the lands so rich that
M fertilization ~ ever required. out haturr
seems to have. with a hcnrhcent manu- 'r'.su
many strange trees and plants To suppl tne
wants II man without the necessity ot me- pam
ing them himself First among these are lh'
palms some twcnty-slx varieties 81 "nlcn a',pt
the fields II cuba. giving shade ioon an" ~ ~.
Al the head Oi these STANDS the f"ya' PAM -
ma is,ic tree insists 81 tall straight uuhk Oh
nbrous wood supporting cluster OF Penna'1a
leaves ike n bunch Of plune5 on long s'ch'
II IL marvel ~ beauty and utility, yet u ~ one
OF the most common of all trees III Cupd l. -
met with most everywhere. In the centre "i
broad pasture lands 1t often stands alone. tai,
and straight, while bordering Inc cu''l'a1c"
folds OF the rich planter II forms shady avenues
t. his dwelling Again its seed mas ropt anna
the gloom %; the s"mbre forest s"nd'h'' 'he 'al'
shaft high up To find room for its fairyike Gus
ter Of plumes in the free air above on me
plains It often forms delicious groves Oh shadc
and on the distant mountain II may De seen
rearing It's pumed crest against the SKY. ana IN
IN, yalI-y below its dark green leaves nurmur
softly in sweet cadence with the winding river.
The palm has been called the blessed tree, Tor
every part Of II has its usefulness To mankind.
Certain medicinal qualities are claimed Tor It's
roots and It's trunk Is easily spit INTO strps.
making excellent boards for the sdlng OF
houses benches. and even tables AS the TRUNK
is without any bark. and its centre IL very
porous increasing in density toward the outer
surface which Is nearly "A hard as glass. II Is
only the outside hard shell OF III" trunk whlch
furnishes these boards. From this hard nDrOus
take "A most beautiful polish. The leaves or the
palm grow from the centre Of the trunk first in
the form OF "A delicate spire shooting up. which.
gradually unfolding Itself. forms new leaf
These leaves continue to grow from the centre
spire to a great length. forming the cluster
which In the case of the royal palm, resembles
much bunch Of enormous plumes. Inc
leaves, when they cannot grow any more, drop
10 tie ground from the bottom OF the cluster.
thus making room for the new ones which are
always coming out 81 the centre. The bud or
root Of the centre spre from which the leaves
grow. consists Of IA tender substance buried deep
down within the cluster Of green leaves, and
forms a very palatable food. either In the raw
state cooked as vegetable. or made into a
preserve with sugar.
one ~ the peculiarties OF the royal palm Is
the stem Of It's long leaves. IL IL n semi circular
stem which embraces the trunk OF the tree and
holds the leaf in place until ii wthers and drops
to the ground The stem is called the ''yagua."
Il resembles thin board. often as long
man is tail. and the Cuban insurgent now
struggling for Independence, makes il serve
him variety Of purposes. For example. while
! was In the field II frequently served me az a
plate by simply cutting of "A section of II. BY
soaking In water 1t Is rendered pliablc that II
may be folded almost as readily as a piece OF
stin paper. Thus softcncd ii il folded ut the
ends. something after the fashion Of n bakers
paper hat and fastened with wooden pins. In
tins shape IL Is called "catarro." and serves
the cuban farmer az water bucket. or u wash
basin, or receptacle for milk, lard. cheese,
eggs or whenever n receptacle Of any kind may
be needed. | have seen a group OF rebels using
yagua thus folded as kettle in which to
cook their breakfast OF beef and yams. The
water kept the fbrous wood from burning. and
was assured that the food thus cooked required
no salt other than that which was extracted
from the 'yagua" in the process Of cooking