LUMBERING IN THE PHILIPPINES. 

 By Donald M. Matthb;ws, Forester, Bureau of Forestry. 



The lumber industry in the PhiHppines from the American 

 standpoint is still in its infancy, although actually it stands next 

 to agriculture in point of age and importance. Up to the time of 

 the American occupation the most primitive methods of both 

 logging and milling obtained everywhere throughout the Islands, 

 and even to-day, 90% of the people engaged in the industry are 

 following the time honored methods of two centuries ago. The 

 average Filipino in any part of the Islands who desires to go into 

 the lumber business does not spend a year or two land-looking, 

 interesting capital and studying the state of the market. He has 

 a market that is all that can be desired in the nearest town ; the 

 timber, from his point of view, is to be found in abundance right 

 at his back door and a few axes, a carabao or two and a few 

 laborers constitute his capital. He applies for, and obtains a 

 license from the Government to cut 100 (sometimes less) to 5,000 

 cubic meters (25,000 to 1,250,000 bd. ft.) of timber. Then, with 

 his outfit, which normally consists of 20 to 30 axmen, 10 to 12 

 carabaos and the same number of laborers, he proceeds to the 

 area for which he has obtained a license. The labor is generally 

 employed on the piece work system and after the employer has 

 given his men general instructions as to what timber to cut and 

 how to cut it, so as to conform to governmental regulations, he 

 returns to his home and calmly goes about such other business as 

 he may have on hand. After a month or two the logs begin to 

 come down to the seacoast, either being hauled the whole distance 

 on crude sleds or floated down the streams. The licensee then 

 takes a few days off to arrange for the whip-sawing of the logs 

 into lumber for local sale or has the logs rafted for sea trans- 

 portation to the nearest large town, where they are usually dis- 

 posed of to Chinamen or others who make a business of whip- 

 sawing the logs into lumber. 



The whole operation is usually characterized by the greatest 

 deliberation. The licensee is usually so fixed that he can hold his 



