1702 ISLAND DEPENDENCIES 



ISLAND DEPENDENCIES 



shrubs, one of which called "The Battle between the 

 Trees and Stones" is translated by Augustin Kraemer 

 in his monumental work, "Die Samoa-Inseln" (Vol. 

 I, p. 361, 1902), to which the reader is referred. See 

 also "American Samoa," a general report by Governor 

 W. M. Grose, dated June 22, 1912, Washington 1913; 

 and F. Reinecke's "Flora der Samoa-Inseln," Engl. 

 Bot. Jahrb., Vols. 23 and 25, 1897, 1898. 



W. E. SAFFORD. 



Philippine Islands. 



The Philippines (Fig. 1992), lying between the Pacific 

 and the China Sea, extend almost due north and south 

 from Formosa to Borneo and the Moluccas, and cover 

 about 700 miles of longitude and 1,000 miles of latitude 

 (from 4.40 to 20 north latitude, and 116.40 to 126.30 

 east longitude). The archipelago comprises 3,141 

 islands, having a total area of 127,853 square miles, 

 and has a population of above 8,000,000 inhabitants. 

 The largest islands are Luzon, with an area of 40,969 

 and Mindanao with 36,292 square miles. 



The Philippines are of volcanic origin and in conse- 

 quence the topography of the archipelago is charac- 

 terized by a broken surface and more or less rugged 

 mountains in all islands of any importance. Between 

 the mountain ranges and on the banks of some of the 

 largest rivers he several rich, level valleys awaiting the 

 advent of the cultivator, areas which are eminently 

 suited for the cultivation of rice, corn, sugar, tobacco, 

 hemp, and coconuts. The principal plains are found 

 in Isabela and Cagayan Provinces, watered by the 



Cagayan River; in Tarlac and Pangasinan, watered by 

 the Agno; and in Nueva Ecija and Pampanga, through 

 which flows the Pampanga. The Cottabato Valley in 

 the Moro Province is irrigated by the Mindanao 

 River. The interior of Mindanao, from the mountain 

 ranges east of the Agusan River to Lake Lanao in the 

 west, consists of a remarkable series of level table- 

 lands of great fertility between the mountains and can- 

 ons at an elevation ranging from 1,000 to here and 

 there exceeding 2,500 feet. 



The climate is remarkably mild and free from 

 extremes, though there is considerable variation in 

 temperature due to altitude. The Weather Bureau of 

 the Philippines distinguishes three types of climate 

 peculiar to the Philippines: (1) That of Sorsogon, 

 Albay, Ambos Camarines, Catanduanes, and adjacent 

 islands, the eastern coast of Luzon from the seashore 

 to the mountains in Tayabas, eastern Isabela, and 

 Cagayan, the north and east coast of Samar, the east 

 and north coast of Mindanao and adjacent islands, the 

 valley of the Agusan River, and the east coast of 

 Leyte; this climate is characterized by an average 

 rainfall of 3,090 millimeters, well distributed through- 

 out the year, mean temperature 79.8 F., lowest 

 recorded temperature, 62.4 F., highest 110.3 F., the 

 greatest rainfall being in December, and the .least in 

 May, June, and July. (2) That of the provinces of 

 Batangas, Bataan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Zambales, 

 Union, Rizal, Western Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva 

 Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, the west coast of Panay, 

 Mindoro and Mindanao, with an average rainfall of 

 2,120 millimeters, falling mainly from May to October 

 with a distinctly dry season during December, 

 January, February, March and April; mean tem- 

 perature 80.5 F., highest recorded temperature 

 103.1 F., lowest 57.7 F. (3) That of the ex- 

 treme north of Luzon, including the Cagayan 

 Valley and the Batanes Islands, the shores of 

 Laguna de Bay, the west coasts of Samar, and 

 Leyte, the north and east coasts of Panay, 

 Negros, Cebu and Bohol, Davao Gulf and the 

 south end of the Zamboanga Peninsula; annual 

 rainfall 1,882 millimeters, falling mainly from 

 September to January, with a short dry season 

 in February, March, and April, mean tempera- 

 ture 79.7 F., highest recorded temperature 100 

 F., lowest, 59.9 F. 



The following export statistics for the years 

 1897 and 1911 illustrate the development of the 

 plant industries in the Philippines during the 

 last fourteen years: 



1897 



Manila hemp. . . $8,571,850 



Sugar 6,911,535 



Copra and coconuts 2,687,978 



Tobacco products 2,128,380 



Indigo . 



Coffee 



Candlenut products . 



Ilang-ilang oil 



Sappan wood 



Copal 



Maguey fiber 



Fruits 



72,379 

 45,648 

 35,219 

 24,937 

 23,323 

 22,562 

 13,687 

 8,393 



1911 



Manila hemp $16,141,340 



Copra 9,899,457 



Sugar 8,014,360 



Tobacco products 3,605,567 



1992. Philippine Islands, to show the general form of the archipelago. 



Bamboo hats. 

 Maguey fiber. . . 



Copal 



Ilang-ilang oil. . , 

 Gutta-percha. . . 

 Fruits and nuts. 

 Sappan wood . . . 

 Kapok cotton . . . 



Coffee 



Cacao 



301,141 

 254,053 

 49,716 

 47,404 

 41,065 

 23,568 

 16,220 

 11,324 

 366 

 199 



