202 FRANK C. GATES 



over the entire vegetated part of the island. In the northern 

 fourth of the island the rapid growth of small trees was swiftly 

 changing wide areas from grassland to a thicket or parang con- 

 dition. During the unusually heavy rains of the rainy season of 



1914, erosion was very pronounced. Many clumps of Sac- 

 charum were washed from their positions on the outer slope of the 

 crater rim. Losses of grass area thus brought about, taken 

 with the rapidly increasing ascendency of the parang in the grass- 

 land, were not compensated by the gains along the east and 

 west coasts. Consequently there was an actual decrease in the 

 amount of grassland on the island. 



In the early part of the dry season of 1915, parang and tree 

 conditions received a severe setback in certain parts of the island 

 due to fires set by Filipino fishermen. The northeast cape, the 

 area of highest vegetational development, suffered comparatively 

 little. Light burns swept the parang from certain of the ridges 

 but did not severely injure vegetation in the valleys. Mount 

 Binintiang Malaki, on which vegetation had progressed into the 

 small tree stage, was completely devastated. The distribution 

 and approximate extent of the fires of February and March, 



1915, are shown on the accompanying map. 



In the course of a few years both the grass and the parang 

 should be replaced by trees wherever conditions are favorable for 

 trees. This succession is taking place most rapidly in the north- 

 ern fourth of the island but has also commenced on Mount 

 Binintiang Munti at the southern corner. Its progress has been 

 most rapid in the northeastern and northwestern corners. Fire 

 in the latter region, however, has given the vegetation there a 

 severe setback. No vegetation has yet secured a hold on the 

 severely devastated area immediately west of the crater, nor on 

 the steep slopes of the southern part of the crater rim, where 

 erosion is still very active and the exposure to the sun most 

 severe. It is logical to expect that this development will go on, 

 faster on the northern than on the southern sides, until the slopes 

 are covered with vegetation. Trees and shrubs will occupy the 

 sides of ridges, while the crest is more likely to be occupied with 

 grass for a time, but ultimately should also become forested. 



