30 THE BUREAU OF SCIENCE 



Europe. The economic possibilities of the mangrove swamps 

 of the Philippines have been studied by the Bureau of Science 

 and the results published. It was shown that there are areas of 

 workable swamps yielding high-grade tanning materials capable 

 of producing yearly a minimum of 1,500 metric tons of extract. 

 Some of the waste wood could be used for piles. This new work 

 provides for the utilization of the remainder of the waste wood 

 and should insure the exploitation of the mangrove swamps. 



The many unique and characteristic foodstuffs used by the 

 Filipino population, as well as the citrus and other fruits, have 

 received attention. An article on the various native vegetables 

 used for food is almost ready for publication. The nutritive value 

 of these products is now known and is available for studying 

 dietary questions of great practical importance. All varieties of 

 canned milks entering the Islands, as well as fresh cows', goats', 

 and carabaos' milks, have been included in this study. As soon 

 as personnel is available, I desire that a series of experiments 

 be made for the study of nutrition as related to the Tropics. 

 Such a study should throw light on the present confusion of 

 ideas held with regard to the food necessary for sustenance in a 

 tropical climate and should assist in controlling and reducing 

 the high infant mortality. The importance of this work can 

 be hardly overestimated. 



The Philippine Islands export more copra than any other 

 country. Many investigations have been and are being made 

 and published by the Bureau of Science on coconut products, 

 including the water relation of the coconut palm, the mold and 

 bacterial causes of rancidity, the decrease in the oil content of 

 the nut on account of its unripe condition and the locality in 

 which it is grown, methods of drying, insect pests and preven- 

 tive measures, effect of feeding copra cake to cattle and hogs, 

 and the deterioration of copra during transportation. Not only 

 is there loss in the copra or oil, brought about by picking green 

 nuts, but insufficiently dried copra deteriorates on account of 

 the multiplication of bacteria and molds thereon, and the oil that 

 is expressed therefrom is dark-colored. No radical changes 

 should be made in the methods of drying copra until the best 

 methods to be adopted have been established. The work on 

 coconut products, now being carried on in the Bureau of Science, 

 is directed toward improved modifications of existing methods of 

 drying so as to produce a copra that shall be white, sufficiently 

 diy, and proof against molds. Such a product will yield an oil 

 suitable for edible purposes and will have a high market price. 

 Work is also in progress on a commercial method for the 



