FORESTRY QUARTERLY 



Vol. X.] 



De;ce;mber, 1912. 



[No. 4- 



THE FORESTS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 



[Extracts and condensations from The Forests of the Philippines, by 

 Dr. H. N. Whitford, Bulletin No. lo, Bureau of Forestry, Department of 

 Interior, Philippine Islands, 191 1.] 



By M. L. Merritt. 



The compiler having spent several years in the Philippine 

 Islands has excerpted such points from the valuable publication 

 by Dr. Whitford as may give a sufficiently clear idea to American 

 readers of forest conditions in that country. 



I. Classes of Vegetation in the Philippine Islands. 

 I. General. 



There" is little question but that practically the entire land area 

 of the Philippines, from sea level to the highest mountains, was. 

 originally covered with unbroken forest growth of some kind.. 

 The following represents the present classes of vegetation, with 

 the estimated area of each : 



Classes of Vegetation. 



Virgin forests, 

 Second-growth forests, 

 Grass lands, 

 Cultivated lands, a 



Total, 



a It is difficult to estimate, even roughly, the area under cultivation. 

 The above is probably not far from the total amount that has been culti- 

 vated some time within the last twenty years. Probably less than half 

 of this is actually under cultivation at any one time. 



