1901. AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 3 



cessful prosecution of lumbering in the industry if conducted under proper govern- 



Philippines is the same that stands in the mental regulations to prevent the destruc- 



way of all development of their natural re- tion of the trees and the adulteration of 



sources, the lack of roads. Captain Ahern the product which ruined a once promis- 



states in a report : ing trade when it was carried on by 



" There are no forest roads or river Chinese, 



driveways in these islands that are worth A large number of dye woods are known 



mentioning. It will be impossible to ex- to exist, some of which have been utilized 



ploit these forests until roads are con- to some extent; also many trees which 



itructed, rivers improved and harbors pro- produce gums, resins, oils and balsams, 



yided. The methods at present are ex- valuable for their medical properties, 



:eedingly slow and expensive. The tree which are well worthy of investigation by 



is felled far from any road, is hauled out manufacturing chemists and druggists, 



^ery slowly by one or more carabaos, In all parts of the islands cocoanut 



many tracts being left untouched, due to the palms grow without care or cultivation 



lifficulty of the haul and the lack of roads. and the preparation of copra, oil and 



The natives are not skilled lumbermen, fiber is a remunerative business. Larsre 



ind, while paid but a small wage, are by plantations exist on most of the islands, 



no means cheap labor when we consider for instance, on the island of Romblon, 



:he cost of felling and hauling a cubic foot where the whole western slope of the 



)f timber to the shipping point." island is one large cocoanut grove from 



* * * the water's edge to the mountain top. 



"There will be some difficulty in the The only drawback to this industry is the 

 instruction of roads in such places as liability to destruction of the trees by 

 Cagayan, Mindoro and Paragua, but these cyclones, which are frequent, particularly 

 lifficulties can be overcome. The money on the northern islands of the group, but 

 lor this construction should be appropri- this may be avoided by establishing plan- 

 ned from the forest revenues. Competent tations south of the ninth parallel of north 

 mgineers should supervise the work. Stone latitude, beyond which line destructive 

 s plentiful and available, but labor is hurricanes are almost unknown. It is 

 scarce, and such as we have is poor and calculated that each tree will yield a reve- 

 .incertain. This latter will be the one nue of $1.00 to $2.00 annually, with no 

 ;reat difficulty ; when that is solved, en- more labor than is necessary to gather the 

 *ineers and money will build roads that nuts. 



will make the Philippine forests yield a Many varieties of palms, bamboo, para- 



"evenue that is undreamed of to-day by sitic vines, canes and rattans abound and 



:he residents of these islands." when the forests are opened up by the 



To the lumberman this labor problem roads necessary for lumbering operations 

 will, also, for some time, be difficult to and scientific forestry, these plants will 

 solve, but this and other impediments will afford an increase to profitable employ- 

 gradually be removed and then the future ment of native labor and a stimulus to 

 )f the lumber business in these islands many of their smaller industries, 

 will doubtless present a very profitable in- The forest products form a most im- 

 /estment for American capital and energy. portant factor in the industrial and econo- 



There are also other forest products that mic future of the islands. One of the 



ire worthy of exploitation and the atten- most necessary steps toward making that 



.ion of capitalists. great store of wealth available, is that 



There are a great variety of rubber and which the government has taken, the es- 



^utta-percha producing trees, particularly tablishment of a forestry bureau, which 



n the forests of Mindanao and southern Pa- with good management will insure intelli- 



awan. The production of merchantable gent, honest and scientific exploitation and 



^utta-percha may become a most valuable protection of the valuable forest lands. 



