1055 
ECONOMIC RELATIONS. 
I will now attempt to outline the connection between the economic 
relations and the physiography and geology of Cebu. 
As has been mentioned above, the Cordillera region is an undesirable 
abode for human beings, it affords little in the way of sustenance, its 
esthetical influence passes over the heads of hungry and hunted beings, 
the very streams seem to leave it in haste, and the luxurious vegetation 
of the lower country does not aspire to it. The Molave (Vitex littoralis) 
and Narra (Pterocarpus indicus) are prominent among the trees. 
Neither do the uplands support the life expected of them. Here, the 
phyisography is not so much against the existence of human beings as is 
the geology. It is not necessary to state to those who may read this 
paper that a limestone soil is capable of producing a profitable vegetation, 
for all who know the “Blue Grass” region of the United States are aware 
of the fact that the underlying rock is limestone. However, there are 
other profound differences which have given rise to a very poor soil in 
the one region and a marvelously rich one in the other. 
The underlying rock in the uplands of Cebu is largely limestone, as 
is the case in the other region cited, but the lime of these rocks does not 
remain to form a constituent of the soil; it is readily soluble and passes 
down the streams to be deposited on the lowlands as travertine and other 
deposits, or eventually to reach the sea. In the “Blue Grass” region we 
have a basin from which the lime is not as readily removed but where it 
remains in place. 
When we come to the coves, we have the favorable conditions cited 
in the case of the “Blue Grass” country, and here are located the sugar 
haciendas, the great cornfields, and vegetable gardens of the island. 
Very little rice is grown in these bottom lands, because of one very 
important feature of the soil. One might argue that the reason is not 
a physical one, but is purely arbitrary because the haciendero prefers 
sugar and corn to rice, but when it is remembered that rice is really 
more needed in these Islands than sugar or corn, and that thousands of 
piculs are imported every year from the China coast to supply the de- 
ficiency, it will be seen that there must be another cause for this lack. 
This is found in the fact that rice needs an impervious substratum to 
hold the water with which the paddies must be flooded, and this is almost 
entirely lacking in the valley areas of Cebu. 
Although Cebu is the largest hemp depot south of Manila, compara- 
tively very little abacé comes from this island. A recent investigation 
carried on by Mr. Richmond, of this Bureau,’® has shown that potash is 
a large and important constituent in the fiber and juice of the abaca, 
more being contained in the juice and fiber than in the waste, and as 
Phil. Journ. Science (1906), 1, 451. 
49083——-4 
