The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-03
THE ROYAL PALM OF CUBA.
a Tree Called Blessed of Which
Every Part Is Useful.
From Current Literature.

From Current Literature.
Not only is the climate of Cuba favorable
to the planting of crops whenever the
farmer chooses to plant them, and the
lands so rich that no fertilization is over
required, but nature seems to have, with
a beneficent hand reared many strange
trees and plants to supply the wants of
man without the necessity of his plant
ing them himself. First among these ere
the palms, some twenty-six, varieties of
which adorn the fields of Cuba, giving
shade, food and life. AT the head of these
stands tha royal palm. This majestic rec
consists of a tall straight trunk OF ffbrous
wood, supporting a cluster of pennated
leaves, like a bunch of plumes on long
stick 1t is a marvel of beauty and utility,
yet it is one of the most common trees
in Cuba. 1t is met with most everywhere;
in the center of broad pasture lands it
often stands alone, tan and straight;
while bordering the cultivated fields of the
rich planter it forms shady avenues to his
dwelling. Again its seed finds root amid
the gloom of the somber forest, sending
the tall shaft high up to find room for
its falrylike cluster of plumes in the free
air above. On the plains It often forms
delicious groves of shade, and on the dis
tant mountain 1t may be seen rearing its
plumed crest against the sky, and in the
valley below its dark green leaves muir
winding river.
The palm has been called the blessed
tree, for every part of it has its useful
ness to mankind. Certain medicinal
qualities are claimed for it's roots, and
its trunk is easily split into strips, making
excellent boards for the siding of houses,
benches and even tables. AS the trunk
is without any bark, and it's center is very
porous, increasing in density toward the
outer surface, which is nearly as lard
as glass, it is only the outside hard shell
of the trunk which furnishes these boards.
From this hard, fibrous wood some very
pretty canes are made, which take a most
beautiful polish.
The leaves of the palm grow from the
center Of the trunk, first in the form of
a delicate spire shooting up, which, gradu-
ally unfolding itself, forms a new leaf.
These leaves continue to grow from the
center spire to a great length, forming the
cluster which, In the case OF the royal
palm, resembles so much bunch of enor-
nous plumes. The leaves when they can
not grow any more, drop to the ground
from the bottom of the cluster, thus
making room for the new ones which
are always coming out of the center.
The bud or root of the center spire'
from which the leaves grow, con-
sists of a tender substance buried
deep down within the cluster of green
leaves, and forms a very palataOle food,
either in the raw state or cooked as
vegetable. or made into a preserve with
sugar.
One Of the peculiarities of the royal palm
Is the stem of its long leaves. 1t is a
semi-circular stem, which embraces the
trunk of the tree and holds the leaf in
place until it withers and drops to the
ground. The stem is called the ''yagua."
1t resembles a thin board, often as long as
a man is tall, and the Cuban insurgent,
now struggling for independence makes
it serve him a variety of purposes. For
example, while I was in the field it fire.
quently served me as a plate by simply
cutting off a section of it. By soaking IN
water it is rendered pliable, so that 1t
may be folded almost as readily as a piece
OF stiff paper hat, and fastened with wood
en- pins. In this shape it is called a "ca-
tarro," AMI serves the Cuban farmer as
a water bucket, or a wash basin, or a re-
ceptacle for milk, lard, cheese eggs, or
whenever a receptacle of any kind may
be needed. I have seen a group of rebels
using a ''yagua" thus folded as a kettle
in which to cook their breakfast of beef
and yams. The water kept the ffbrous
wood from burning, and l was assured
that the food thus cooked required no
salt other than that which was extracted
from the ''yagua" in the process of cook
ing