The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-28

STRUNG PROOF that II was carried across
to Florida many centuries ago anC
used by the Indians of that peninsula
trinkets Of pure copper having beer
found in their burial mounds.
In the line of furniture, table ware
sewing machines farm implements
and hundred other manufactured ar
ticles which are found in the humbles
homes of the United States, there is {
marked scarcity in Cuba, even among
the richest Already the glib tonguet
Yankee agent" is abroad in the island
with his ready samples usually photo
sraphic-representi firms in chicago
St. Louis and other faraWay cities. A
company has recently been formed ir
Washington and New York which is
about to establish a commission house
in Havana-similar to those carried or
by the Grace-Eyre people of New York
in various South American cities, fol
the sale of these articles in Cuba. In
all parts of Spanish-America, except
Cuba, these commission houses may be
found, dealing in all manner of things
from ploWs to silver ware, mostly from
Photographic samples and doing bank
lllS BUSINESS as We'll
The other day l met couple of san
guine Missourians, who are expecting
to get rich in short order on the cabinet
woods of the island. Here is certainly
a very wide field which has never been
worked. Even the names of the Valu-
able woods are mostly unknown to
Americans, the old Spanish nomencla-
ture, which has no regard for correct
botanical classification, being still used
in Cuba. Some day our commercial in
terests will better define them but so
far these choicest products of the tropi-
cal wilderness are known to few but the
"Mimbi" the cuban Woodmen who
hew ruthless way with machetes
and call the monarchs of the forest by
names that describe their characters
tics: For example, there is the quiebra-
hacha, machete-breaker," so called
because it is stronger than any imple-
ment of iron or steel, and will turn the
edge of the best American axe that can
be brought against it. 1t averages
fifty feet in height, but is rarely more
than one foot thick-tall and straight
as an Amazonian arrow which is greatly
resembles; and its dark, notified grain
takes on a beautiful polish. Then there
is the ho-colorado," bright
red wood which seems to be absolutely
indestructible. Timbers made of this
red wood when the first Spaniards dis
covered the new world have never rot
ted in air, earth or water, but are as
firm and strong to-day, after more
than four centuries Of usage, as when
taken from their forest. The tree grows
to great height and large in diameter at
the base, but it's foliage is not nearly SO
beautiful as that of many inferior
trees. One sees a good deal of the TIM
Der in the old churches of Cuba and in
the uncovered rafters Of the finest
houses; and no plaster kalsomine or
paper could be half so handsome as the
great red beams overhead.
The "Juraco' resembles the red wood,
and so does "Acana' being good,
or poor relations in the aristocratic
Quebracho- colorado family.
There is also the iigui, yaya, dagame,
and no end of other strange
besides the palm, cocoanut,
mango and ceiba, all useful construc-
ton timbers, each for special purposes. !
For cabinet and ornamental woods,
even the Brazilian forests can show no
finer specimens than the wilds of east
ern Cuba. Satinwood, lancewood, rose
wood, ebony olive, salmwood, mahog-
any, lienum vitae, mahal, gumbo-limb
caracollillo, guayabo, sabicu
CtL ri..+t
spellable local names, enchant the be-
holder with the loveliness of their pol
shed grain, in all tints, from pure white
to pale pink dark red, bright brown,
grays, brown and yelloWs to ebOn black.
The guayacan is black as jet, one of the
hardest woods known, makes an ele-
CANT veneer and does duty in holdings
and turner's work. The mora is big
lee with heavy yellow wood, which
when polished takes the rich color of
mahogany and is much used in making
From the yuayaivi-a white
wood with black heart-tool handles
md oars are made. Satinwood has a
grain, highly lustrous
md fragrant The salmwood is very |
popular. though not so beautiful, be-
,ause no insect will come near it-a |
great point in this bug-infested coun-
ry Sapodilla, very hard wood, mot |
led black and red, is considered eX- |
remedy valuable for decorative and |
.abnet work. along with the bright |
,ellow grandilla and pale green olive. |
These forests have one enormous adj |
-antage over those of Brazil viz, that |
here are no dangerous serpents and |
Wild beasts in them. Even the tropi
al iungles harbor no vipers and the
mountain wildernesses have no more
avage beast than the wild hog or tapir. |
Speaking of swine, there are plenty Of |
he true razor-back variety in Cuba,
With blue skins, long shouts and no hair
o speak of; but their meat is said to
e finer than that of their fellows in
he United States; maybe because these
re made household pets among the
oorer Cubans, literally sharing bed
nd board with the family. Imported
omestic animals do not seem to thrive
veil here Goats soon lose their activ-
-y and sheep their wool; in fact sheep
nd goats grow to look so much alike
hat in a short time none can tell
which is which" The snake family
as only one formidable member in
uba, in appearance only. 1t Is the
uge maja, from 10 to Is feet long and
erhaps 25 inches in circumference.
cry rarely met. he seems to have great
rpoar riding the human SpecioS |