Philippine Woods Identification 327 



identified specimens of no less than forty-two species, yet this is 

 less than half the number of species of the genus that have so 

 far been enumerated in the Islands. On all this material, but pri- 

 marily, of course, on the botanically authenticated specimens, are 

 based all the studies in wood technology of the Bureau. 



The first publication under the American regime having to do 

 with timber was Important Philippine Woods, by Captain (now 

 Major) George P. Ahem (Manila, 1901). This was a compila- 

 tion of notes, somewhat in the nature of a "check-list," giving 

 the distribution, habit and habitat, and common and scientific 

 names of a limited number of trees, with remarks about the 

 mechanical properties, general appearance and uses of the woods, 

 the data being taken from all sources then available. 



As early as 1903, some beginnings were made of the study of 

 the structure of Philippine woods with the object of identifying 

 positively commercial material. Mr. J. J. Eaton, of the Bureau 

 of Education, in co-operation with the Bureau of Science, pre- 

 pared transverse, radial and tangential sections of a number of 

 species, which were photographed, the photographs being accom- 

 panied by very careful and detailed descriptions. For various 

 reasons, this work was not completed and published. Though 

 these descriptions would undoubtedly be of service to any one 

 undertaking a minute and detailed study of the subject, the 

 methods employed were too complex and laborious to be available 

 for practical application in the identification of commercial ma- 

 terial in quantities. 



Somewhat later, Mr. J. R. Hillsman, formerly of the Bureau of 

 Forestry and later of the Forest Products Section of the Bureau 

 of Internal Revenue, compiled a very complete and in the main 

 very accurate set of descriptions of the gross characteristics of 

 all the woods named in the lists of the first, second, third and 

 fourth groups in the forest Manual. These descriptions included 

 also, in many cases, notes on the minute structure as revealed by 

 a hand lens in a smooth cross section. This work, too, was never 

 published, but was of considerable use to succeeding writers. 



The meaning of the "groups" above referred to should be 

 explained. For administrative purposes, the common and well 

 known timber trees were classified during the Spanish regime 

 into several groups, the forest charges or stumpage varying on 

 each timber according to the group in which it was legally listed. 



