34 



in as in the first planting. Cleaning with bolos should be done awa}' 

 with, and the successive operations of cultivation and interplanting of 

 leguminous plants, such as cowpeas, mongo, velvet beans, etc., should 

 be resorted to, in order to kill the weeds, keep the soil in good condition, 

 and restore it to its fertility. Thus in the course of a few years a new 

 plantation with healthy, vigorous hills will stand on the site of the older 

 one. 



Many old planters hold that the above method entails too much expense 

 and trouble, but they have only to try it to find out that the ultimate 

 results more than justify the expense and trouble. 



VALUE. 



The relative value of abaca and other products exported from the 

 Philippine Islands during the fiscal years 1908 and 1909 was as follows : 



"In quantity, exportations of hemp fiber exceeded those of any 

 previous year, having aggregated 149,991 metric tons. Of this amount 

 79,210 » tons represent the largest exportation to the United States in 

 the histoiy of the trade. Despite an increase of 34,000 tons, or nearly 

 ?0 per cent, in exportation, the average price obtained was 24 per cent 

 lower than that of 1908, resulting in a decrease from $17,311,808, the 

 value of the 1908 output to $15,833,577, representing the total hemp 

 exportations of 1909." ^ 



The Manila market report for December 22, 1909, gives the following 

 hemp quotations : 



Albay, current ?11.00 



Leyte, current 14.4 



Daet, current 11-2 



25 per cent over, current 11.2 



Superior seconds 10 



Good, seconds 9.6 



Good, reds 8.6 



* Annual Report of the Acting Insular Collector of Customs for the Fiscal Year 

 ending June 30, 1909. 



