The Lamar register., 1910-07-20
a .S4lYAzZL 6E77txzW "7HE cH4cO"
NM CIVILIZATION

the South American Chaco has become SO CONNIE
cally important that It must be understood to sign
~ only that one tree and nothing else.
The genuine qucbracho tree is found in Brazil
Paraguay. and the Argentine Republic. There al
two important varieties and third has been di
tinguished. although II has no great stgnihcanc
botanicalIy value commercially. Locally and in
the trade the names given Quebracho colorado
tredj. and Quebracho blanco twhitep. Quebracho
colorado has the scientific designation OF Lox-
opterygilm lorcntzii. and belongs to the order OF
Anacardiaciae This Is the particular tree from
which 10th the sleepers and the better quality Of
tanning extract are derived. The other. Quebra-
cho blaneo. is neither straight nor service
able as the red variety. but Is nevertheless OF
definite commercial value. It furnishes some
tanning extract and the logs can be used for
fence posts and axies From II is taken also a
drug extensively used for bronchial diseases; in
TACT as plant 1t 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 ones are
imported Mt great expense. or substitutes there
for are used II climatic conditions favorable.
As a rule. however. II is preferred to 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 It. The quebracho wood proved by far the
most servtceable for sleepers on South American
railways. and its reputation grew steadily that
today many miles of European rails supported
by seepers brought from the River Plate
In one respect quebracho resembles rather
bogany than oak pine. The trees do not grow
in ciumps groves. but dispersed through the
forests and the less dense woods. singly or In
groups seldom than four or five to the acre.
The tree itself is tall. about two three feet In
diameter and is crowned by rather thin. oval.
or Vshaped mass OF branches and leaves. The
white quebracho is somewhat smaller than the
red. and begins to branch lower to the ground.
that It is not 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
seems to thrive best a sandy soil. where the at
nospheric moisture is not very great. but where
abundant water is provided for the roots. either
by dews sufficient rain. 1t is neither a 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
measured by hundreds of years. II Is well enough
established that at ten years from planting the
first small shrubs big enough to use for posts
The future promises. therefore. opportunity
for the actual cultivation of quebracho because
although savage fnroads have been made into the
supposedly inexhaustble forests of the Chaco. 1t
is too late restrict the cutting of the tree.
planting and conservation for the supply of com.
ing generations In fact. the Argentine Republic
has already passed suitable laws In this direction
and IL is more than probable that under the wise
admnistrationsof that government there will be