File:The Cuba review (1914) (14578194648).jpg

Identifier: cubarevie13muns (find matches)
Title: The Cuba review
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Munson Steamship Line
Subjects:
Publisher: New York : Munson Steamship Line
Contributing Library: The LuEsther T Mertz Library, the New York Botanical Garden
Digitizing Sponsor: The LuEsther T Mertz Library, the New York Botanical Garden

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riety of purposes, and is highly esteemed on account of its hardness, weight and dur-ability. im^Whilc the uses of the timVjer of this palm are niunerous they appear quite inconspicuouswhen compared with those of the leaves. The ai)i)lications are so numerous among the peopleof Cuba as to entitle this palm to be called the national plant of Cuba. The number of usesto which the leaves are put may be said to be infinite. The most important part is the yaguaor sheathing base of the leaf, which furnishes the simple Cuban many of his necessities. Thelarge terminal pinnate leaves bear long sheathing leafstalks which form a cylinder clear aroundthe stem and are from four to nine feet long with a width when flattened out equal to the cir-cumference of the trunk. The leaves proper, of which there are about 20, are attached to theujiper end of the clasping bases; the lower one of which is shed every three or four weeks,leaving a well-marked ring or scar where it was attached. 12 THE CUBA REVIEW
Text Appearing After Image:
A royal palm planted among other ornamental shade trees. These leaf bases are gathered immediately after they fall to the ground, dampened andflattened by means of weights. After they are thoroughly dried they are tied into bundles ofconvenient sizes and offered for sale. They form an article of sale in all places where the royalpalm grows. There is a good market for them in Havana and other centers of the tobaccoindustry. Formerly nearly all the tobacco that was sent to the United States and to Europewas carefully wrapped in the leaf bases, and it is said that there is no material better suitedfor this purpose. Even to-day all Cuban tobacco is boimd up and shipped from the plantationsin large bundles wrapped in these leafstalks. The royal palm is carefully preserved in all parts of the Island and is largely cultivated forthe sale of the leaves, which are consumed largely in the packing of tobacco for export. Narrowstrips torn off the edge of the pieces and twisted afford inexpensive

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