Clement Tells of Cuban Research

Now that the University has suspended operations at its botanical gardens and research laboratory in Soledad, Cuba, the Castro Government has lost a source of professional advice in crop improvement, reforestation, and applied botany. Since early 1959 the Cuban government has called upon the Adkins Garden and Laboratory for assistance.

Upon the recommendation of Director Duncan Clement, the Corporation last August ceased financial support of the Adkins Lab because of "increased uncertainty in Cuba" and because there was no longer assurance that funds were controlled by University personnel.

Clement, now in Cambridge, resumed some of his research on cotton with duplicate plantings in Jamaica, B.W.I. One Cuban on the Adkins staff is now working for him in Cambridge, and the horticulturist of the Garden, a Cuban, has fled to Florida.

Castro Gets Assistance

After taking power, Castro's administration received assistance from the Garden in supplying planting stock for reforestation and parks and technical advice on reforestation, forest education, and other research programs. Clement refused to take an official government position but served as unofficial consultant in forestry and assisted in the creation of a field station for ecological research in the huge Zapata swamp.

The Cuban government also benefited from a purchase of the Adkins hybrid corn seed production, after Clement approached the government in hopes of getting an agency or company to take over the large production.

Clement pointed out that Cuba profited from the Adkins Lab through the fruits of student research projects, as a place for an academic exchange of views with scholars from several countries, through the Garden's part-time activity in human nutrition and other fields, and also as a tourist attraction.

Cubans often brought plant problems to the Adkins staff or expert botanical advice and, in 1950, the Garden opened its grounds to visitors and became a sort of public park, with all the headaches of left-over picnic lunches and vandalism.

"No Ivory Tower"

Clement, as Director, tried to coordinate the Garden's activities with short-term projects, which brought immediate gains to the people, and long-term research, which Cuban organizations were not inclined to pursue. "We proved that an academic institution can do practical work. We were in no ivory tower," commented Clement.

An example of practical benefits to Cuba from the Adkins Gardens was the work between 1945 and 1960 which developed a chemical-mechanical control method for unruly wood weeds, which had been a menace to agriculture.

Clement still has hopes of returning to Cuba to pick up where he left off. Meanwhile, the corporation will just hold tight. The Adkins staff, now reduced to two, will continue its work in Cambridge but will not take on any new projects.