A Caingin Alter Being Used Three or Four Years; So Grown Up With Weeds as to Be Abandoned 



Northern Negros ',see page 78). 



woods into four groups, according to the 

 antiquated Spanish classification, and 

 fi.rcs the price for each group without 

 regard to market or lumbering condi- 

 tions. This is bad not only in itself, 

 but sows the seeds of future trouble, 

 because these groups and prices arc 

 things which must be continually 

 changed, and in doing so the whole act 

 must be changed. This makes the 

 whole forest policy of the islands un- 

 stable. The act should fix the prin- 

 ciples and leave the details to the Bu- 

 reau of Forestry. 



To summarize, the problems are as 

 follows : 



i. The description and classification 

 of all the species found in the islands 

 is estimated to be about 3,000 in all. 

 This is work requiring a systematic 

 botanist of the highest ability. 



2. The investigation of the properties 

 and uses of a large number of woods, 

 until now practically unknown. 



3. Silvicultural studies of the more 

 important trees. 



4. Solution of the relation of the for- 

 ests to the population and the settlement 

 of lands. This involves: (a) Supply- 

 ing the needs of the local population for 



3 (To he 



firewood and building material; (b) the 

 prevention of Caingins (an extremely 

 wasteful and destructive system of 

 shifting cultivation practised in the 

 forest) ; (c) the treatment of Cogan 

 (unproductive grass land resulting from 

 the Caingins) and the settling of the 

 invalid claims of the Caciques (promi- 

 nent Filipino villagers) to this Cogan 

 land; (d) getting a proper survey of 

 the whole islands; (?) the proper regu- 

 lation of homesteads. 



5. The question ojf opening up the 

 forests in such a way as to injure them 

 as little as possible. This must be done 

 immediately in spite of the present lack 

 of silvicultural knowledge. 



6. The establishment of forest re- 

 serves, so as to concentrate the work of 

 management and protection. Fixing the 

 boundaries of these will bring up the 

 disputed point of agricultural versus 

 forest land. 



7. The development of an efficient 

 force for managing the forests. 



8. The amendment of the forest act. 

 so as to lay down the principles and 

 leave the details to the Bureau of For- 

 estry. 



continued] 81 



