FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 31 



production of a good grade of oil from the uncured nuts, thus 

 avoiding the intervening step of drying the coconut meat. Sim- 

 ply by burning coconut shells instead of husk, smoke and a 

 consequent black product can be avoided. The use of husk as fuel 

 should be avoided for the further reason that the husk fiber is 

 much more valuable for other purposes, such as the manufacture 

 of brushes, doormats, etc. Many inquiries have been received 

 from the United States and Hawaii relative to copra and copra- 

 drying methods in the Philippines. 



A great deal of work has been done on the sugar and alcohol 

 industries of the Philippine Islands. In completed investigations 

 it is shown that a greater profit is possible by making the sugar 

 contained in palm juices into commercial sugar than by convert- 

 ing it into ordinary alcohol. Methods for handling the juices, 

 so as to overcome the difiiculties encountered in making sugar, 

 have been determined and published. The manufacture of Phil- 

 ippine brandy may be more profitable than the manufacture of 

 sugar. For a number of years the properties of coco and palm 

 brandies have been under investigation. The effects of aging 

 these brandies in wooden .casks are being studied by analyzing 

 the liquors at the end of each six-month period. The results, 

 which will soon be ready for publication, indicate the changes 

 taking place in these liquors under certain conditions and the 

 best condition for bringing about beneficial ones. 



Much molasses is being used for the production of alcohol. 

 Considerable difficulty is being encountered by the manufacturers 

 of alcohol from molasses in obtaining uniformly good results. 

 The Bureau of Science should assist in the establishment of 

 methods that will insure maximum yields of alcohol in all cases. 

 There is no chemist available for this work. 



The various methods of preparing sugar in the Islands have 

 been studied, and it has been shown that in many cases a gain 

 of sugar would result by allowing the cane to ripen, by using 

 more nearly complete extraction, and by exercising greater care 

 in handling the juices than is the common practice. The Bureau 

 of Science Iloilo sugar laboratory, since it was established, has 

 been eagerly used by both producers and dealers, who avail 

 themselves of umpire polariscopic analyses in cases of dispute 

 and as a basis for valuation. There has been opportunity 

 in both Iloilo and Manila for a large amount of instruction in 

 regard to the planting and harvesting of cane and the more per- 

 fect recovery of the sugar. 



The Bureau of Science has carried on an investigation of tan- 

 ning methods in the Philippine Islands. It consists of practical 



