40 The Philippine Journal of Science 1922 
them of underbrush, dead leaves, etc. Since the nipa sends its 
inflorescence up from the base and hence is near the ground, 
the flower stalk is conveniently situated for tapping and for 
gathering of the sap. The nipa bears small fruits in its fourth 
year but is not usually tapped until its fifth year. The stalks 
of the chosen fruits (nearly full-grown ones) are stripped of 
leaves and are kicked at the base about five times at intervals 
of about a week, several kicks being given each time. This is 
to start the flow of tuba. The stalk is then cut across near its 
top, usually just below the fruit, and each day a thin slice is 
removed to keep the wound fresh and to facilitate exudation. 
When a plant bears two flower stalks the usual practice is to 
draw sap from only one, the other being removed and the stem 
allowed to dry. 
The sap is collected in bamboo joints, called tuquils (Pam- 
pangan), or bombones (Spanish), which are hung upon the stem. 
The receptacles are about 45 centimeters high and 8 centimeters 
in diameter and have a capacity of about 2 liters. 
One stalk normally flows for about three months, but it is 
not uncommon for it to be entirely cut away, at least so close 
to the ground that it can no longer be utilized by the daily 
paring of small slices, long before the flow has ceased. In 
some districts the flower is cut before the fruit is formed, and 
under such circumstances the daily yield of sap is said to be 
increased but the period of flow reduced from three to one 
and one-half months, the total yield being practically the same 
in both cases. The plant seemingly is not affected by this 
treatment. A recent report by Dr. G. A. Perkins 2 gives the 
following data on harvesting of the sap: 
The tuberos are alloted bamboo from which to make tuquils and also 
are alloted bancas, in which they transport the tuba. These bancas are 
mostly hired by the company at 3 to 8 pesos per month (now about 6 pesos). 
About 120 tuberos are required for the first harvest (2,000 hectares). 
Each man handles about 1,000 producing palms. The harvest begins in 
July when the fruits are cut, but most fruits are reserved until the end 
of the floods (about August 20). The harvest ends about December 20, 
not all fruits being cut at the same time. Each fruit stalk flows about 
two and one-half months. 
The second harvest is from December 20 to April 10 requiring 80 
tuberos who work about 800 plants each. The tuquils surviving the first 
harvest are used. No fruits are usually cut from April 10 to the last 
of June, but for the sake of having yeast for fermenting molasses a third, 
or “extra,” harvest is often taken by reserving fruits which could 
be cut in the second harvest. In 1920, 44 tuberos were employed on one 
* An unpublished report. 
