52 



EEPORT OF FORESTRY BUREAU, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 



must be paid before the timber leaves for the market. This moy is 

 paid into the nearest internal-revenue office. 



The government valuation of its timber and firewood has beenplose 

 to 5 per cent of the current market price. The government valntion 

 of other forest products has been uniformly 10 per cent of the c^rent 

 market price. 



The demand for timber for house construction is strong aw. will 

 continue as peace is restored and people return to their homean the 

 provinces and commence rebuilding. 



The China market for Philippine woods is very good, but it nil be 

 some years before the people in the ports of the Orient will be Hlling 

 to pay the prices current in the market in Manila. 



The demand for certain of our fine hard woods by furnitre and 

 cabinet makers in the United States will arise as soon as thesdwoods 

 become known. We have a number of varieties of fine harJ woods 

 which should appeal to these furniture makers. 



In the course of a year or two, when American appliances dd skill 

 are at work in the forests, we should be able to place cargoes c these 

 varieties on board ship for not more than $1 (Mexican) per CUMC foot. 

 Transportation to the United States costs between $',) and $p gold 

 per 1,000 B. M. Almost any lengths can be obtained and dijmeters 

 up to 5 and 6 feet. During Spanish times the large trees Wre left 



untouched owing to the lack of facilities for handling them 

 sionally a tree t> or 7 feet in diameter would be felled and 



Occa- 

 ne slab 



taken from it, from which to make a table. Many of these fie table 

 tops can be seen throughout the islands, some of them moi 



than 7 



)ic foot 



laid down at tide water or on railroad. There are four sawmili in the 



namen 

 ring to 



feet in diameter. 



Ordinarily the native loggers are paid at a fixed price per ci 



city of Manila and hundreds of carpenter shops where the C 

 rip out boards by hand and make a fair profit. Parties de 

 purchase a few hard- wood boards to make a little rough furniire will 

 often pay from 25 to 50 cents (Mexican) per running foot for tie same. 



CAN THE FORESTS OF THE PHILIPPINES BE DEVASTATE] 



Not if a proper number of trained officials are provided ind the 

 present forestry regulations are enforced. 



The following safeguards against forest devastation in thefPhilip- 

 pines are worthy of consideration : 



First. The physical obstacles. 



Second. The forest regulations. 



Third. Supervision of forestry officials. 



Fourth. Local demand for but few of the many hundr^l native 

 woods. 



The physical obstacles will not 

 observation on the ground. The 



)reciated without a fev 



real difficulties appeal 



the work in the field has commenced and apparently all con 

 provided for. 



To begin with, there are no roads into the best forest t 



rivers are full of snags and impediments to their use as driveways 

 Road construction in the jungle is difficult, expensive, and \ 



Many of the most valuable woods will not float, thus nee 



nonths' 

 ly after 

 agencies 



cts; the 



zardous. 

 sitating 



