Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1908-191?, 1910-07-25
4 .S4lE'zZL BEZNlEEW "ZRE cIHAcO"
mn C/EIZIZHZH1H

the South American Chaco has become CONNER
cally important that IT must be understood to sign
fy only that one tree and nothing else.
The genuine quebracho tree is found in Brazi
Paraguay, and the Argentine Republic. There ar
two important varieties and a third has been di
tinguished although it has no great signihcanc
botanically or value commercially. Locally ana IN
the trade the names given Quebracho colorado
(red). and Quebracho blanco (white). Quebracho
colorado has the scientific designation OF Lox-
opterygum lorentzii. and belongs to the order Of
AnacaTdiaciae. This is the particular tree from
which both the sleepers and the better quality OF
tanning extract derived. The other. Quebra-
cho blanco is neither so straight nor service
able the red variety, but is nevertheless OF
definite commercial value as 1t furnishes some
tanning extract and the logs can be used for
fence posts and axles. From It is taken also
drug extensively used for bronchial Diseases in
fact, as plant It was studied for this purpose
long before its other advantages were exploited.
The scientific name is Aspidosperma quebracho
Railways must have sleepers which to lay
their rails. In some instances wooden
imported at great expense, substitutes there.
for used If climatic conditions favorable.
AS a rule however it is preferred 10 take sup
plies from native timber whenever procurable.
This was the case In the Argentine Republic when
railway building away from the coast had begun,
and no more fitting wood could be discovered than
that recommended by the natives both by the
name and by the experience of those who had
used 1t. The quebracho wood proved by far the
most servceable for sleepers on South American
railways, and its reputation grew steadily that
today many miles of European rails are supported
by sleepers brought from the River Plate
In one respect quebracho resembles rather ma
hogany than oak or pine. The trees do not grow
in clumps or groves, but are dispersed through the
forests and the less dense woods sngly or In
groups seldom more than four five to the acre.
The tree itself is tall about two or three feet In
diameter and is crowned by rather thin, oval,
or V-shaped mass of branches and leaves The
white quebracho is somewhat smaller than the
red, and begins to branch lower to the ground so
that II is not hard to distinguish them from each
other. The leaves are oval or lance shaped,
smooth, somewhat shining and leathery; they do
not fall completely in the winter, but cling to the
branches In company with the fruit. The tree
seems to thrive best a sandy soil where the at
mospheric moisture Is not very gAat but where
abundant water is provided for the roots, either
by dews sufficient rain. 1t Is neither a noun
tain river growth, but lives best In the sub
tropical stretches between water courses. Al
though the age of the tree has been given as
measured by hundreds of years it is we'll enough
established that at ten years from planting the
first small shrubs are big enough to use for posts
The future promises, therefore, opportunity
for the actual cultivation of quebracho because,
although savage inroads have been made into the
supposedly ineXhaustible forests of the Chaco, It
Is not too late to restrict the cutting of the tree
even to adopt modern forestry methods OF
planting and conservation for the supply of com.
ing generations. In fact, the Argentine Republic
has already passed suitable laws in this direction
and It is more than probable that under the wise
administration of that government there vii. be