Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-07-23
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the South American Chaco has become so CONNER
cialy important that it must be understood to sign
~ only that tree and nothing else.
The genuine quebracho tree is found in Brazil
Paraguay, and the Argentine Republic. There ar
two important varieties and third has been di
tinguished, although it has no great s1gn1ncanc
potanically value commercially Locally and in
the trade the names given Quebracho colorado
(red). and Quebracho blanco (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 the red variety but is nevertheless of
definite commercial value, as 1t furnishes some
tanning extract and the logs be used for
fence posts and axles. From it is taken also
drug extensively used for bronchial diseases; In
fact, a plant 1t studied for this purpose
long before its other advantages were exploited
The scientific name is Aspidosperma auebracho.
Railways must have sleepers on 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 case in the Argentine Republic when
railway building away from the coast had begun,
and 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 it. The Quebracho wood proved by far the
most serviceable for sleepers South American
railways, and its reputation grew steadily that
today many miles of European rails are supported
by sleepers brought from the River Plate
hogany than oak pine. The trees do grow
in clumps groves, but are dispersed through the
forests and the less dense woods, sngly in
groups seldom more than four five to the
The tree itself is tall about two three feet in
diameter, and is crowned by a rather thin, oval,
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 hard to distinguish them from each
other. The leaves 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
to thrive best a sandy soil, where the at
mospheric moisture is not very great. but where
abundant water is provided for the roots. either
by dews sufficient rain. 1t is neither 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
measured by hundreds of years, 1t is well enough
established that at ten years from planting the
first small shrubs big enough to 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 late restrict the cutting of the
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 than probable that under the wise
administration of that government there viii be