EDITORIAL. 623 



losses ;iiiion^' horses. As a result, farm work has hecii entirely a))an- 

 doned in some sections. The Commission has made an a})propriation 

 for an extensive stock farm, to 1)0 used in the introduction and breeding 

 of draft and dairy animals, and has authorized the use of g-overnment 

 funds for the importation of draft animals to l)e sold on easy terms in 

 the provinces where they are most nrgenth' needed. The success of 

 these efforts to restock the islands is dependent upon theal)ility of the 

 serum institute to tui-n out a satisfactor}^ antirinderpestic serum in 

 sufficient ([uantities. 



Some of the agricultural opportunities in the Philippines are pointed 

 out l)v Dean C Worcester, secretary of the interior, whose depart- 

 ment includes the bureau of agriculture, "" But a small part of the 

 soil capable of })i'oducing tlu'se crops to advantage is at present under 

 cultivation. The methods of extracting sugar now used leave approx- 

 imately 50 per cent of the sugar in the pressed cane when it is thrown 

 on the dump pile. Hemp is cultivated in a hai)hazard way, where it is 

 not "allowed to grow practically wild, and the lil)er is extracted l)v hand. 

 No systematic and sustained effort has ever been made to improve the 

 qTiality of Philippine tobacco, and the methods uschI in curing it are 

 ver}' primitive. If rich returns have been realized from the growing 

 of these commodities in the past upon a comparatively limited scale, 

 the results of extensive cultivation with njodern methods and machinery 

 are too evident to require discussion. 



''There are very large areas of government lands admira])ly adapted 

 to the cultivation of cocoanuts. Cocoanut trees come to ])earing in 

 from tive to seven years, reaching the l>earing stage more slowl}- as 

 the altitude increases. The trees can be grown readily and with 

 compaiatively little danger of loss. Under existing conditions the 

 minuuuHi annual profit from a fairly good bearing tree is $1 Mexican, 

 and f riM{uently two or three times this amount is realized. The ground 

 under tiie trees is now either allowed to grow up with ])rush or is kept 

 clear by hand. The growth of underbrush injures the soil and leads 

 to the loss of falling nuts, while clearing l)v hand is (piite expensive. 

 The use of mowing machines would result in a great saving in the 

 cost of labor necessary to k(>e}) the ground clear and gather the nuts. 

 Other crops, such as Indian corn and alfalfa, can be grown l)etween 

 the rows of cocoanut trees while the latter are maturing, and used 

 to fatten hogs, which always bring a good price in the Philippine 

 market." 



There are good opportunities for developing cacao and vanilla 

 growing in numerous regions, there being at present no true cacao 

 plantation in the archipelago and the methods practiced very primitive 

 and wasteful. 



"An especially tine coffee is grown m the mountain regions of 

 Benguet and Bontoc and in the province of Lepanto. The bushes 



