The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-07-21
4 .SA)X>AZZL BE7NIEzW "Z7zE cHAcO"
nm C/IL/ZH7I1H

the South American Chaco has become CONNIE
cally important that it must be understood to sign
fy only that one tree and nothing else.
The genuine quebracho tree is found in Braz
Paraguay, and the Argentine Republic. There al
two important varieties and third has been di
tinguished, although it has no great Significant
hotanically or value commercially. Locally and in
the trade the given Quebracho colorado
(red) and Quebracho b:anco (white) Quebracho
colorado has the scientific designation OF LoX-
opterygium lorentzii, and belongs to the order of
Anacardiaciae. 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 so service
able as the red variety. but is nevertheless of
definite commercial value as it furnishes
tanning extract and the logs be used for
fence posts and aXles. From it is taken also a
drug extensively used for bronchial diseases; in
fact, a plant it 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 ones are
Imported at great expense substitutes there
for are used if climatic conditions favorable.
AS a rule, however, it is preferred to take sup
plies from native timber whenever procurable.
This the 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
and by the experience of those who had
most serviceable for sleepers on South American
railways and it's reputation grew so 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 cumps or groves but are dispersed through the
forests and the less dense woods, singly or In
groups seldom more than four or five to the acre.
The tree itself is tall, about two three feet in
diameter, and is crowned by a 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,
that 1t is not hard to distinguish them from each
other. The leaves are oval, 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 sandy soil, where the at
mospherjc moisture Is not very great, but where
abundant water is provided for the roots either
by deWs or sufficient rain. 1t Is neither noun
tain nor 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 big enough to use for posts
The future promises therefore, an 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
or 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 thcre will be