1904 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



159 



pour. Frequently the forester sits in 

 his tent or nipa hut while rain is perco- 

 lating through all surrounding objects- 

 papers, instruments, provisions, and 

 blankets. Under such conditions pa- 

 tience has heavy drafts falling due and 

 good humor flies to a premium. Patience 

 is especially necessary, as the natives, 

 like all inhabitants of tropical countries, 

 are slow and adverse to work as long as 

 they have plenty of rice and a few fish ; 

 but if one considers their peculiarities, 

 he can get along with them very well. 

 No trouble has been encountered by the 

 writer during the two years' work in 

 the provinces. 



In the field the mean temperature is 

 pleasant. It seldom becomes oppress- 

 ively warm and never cold. The nights 

 are always refreshingly cool. Woolen 

 blankets are necessary, and often during 

 the winter months two of them can be 

 used and a rain coat added with comfort. 



CALIPERING. 



Each forester is in charge of a district, 

 usually one province. As the number 

 of men engaged at present in this work 

 is not sufficient to cover the Archipelago, 



districts have been selected where tim- 

 ber cutting is most in progress. The 

 main duty of the forester is inspecting 

 the work in the woods and marking 

 timber for felling, but, in addition, he 

 has control of the native rangers. A 

 report of daily operations is, however, 

 sent direct to the main office. 



The marking of trees is necessarily a 

 slow and tedious process, and it is hoped 

 that before long rangers will be able to 

 do the greater part of it. This would 

 permit the forester to assume control 

 over a wider range and confine personal 

 work to inspection and supervision, per- 

 mitting him to get thoroughly acquainted 

 with the district under his charge, to 

 cover it with valuation surveys and re- 

 production studies, and extend the 

 knowledge of the different tree species. 

 In this regard it may be interesting to 

 note that at present the Bureau shows 

 a classified list of 665 species indigenous 

 to the soil, including approximately the 

 most valuable woods of economic or 

 commercial value. It is expected that 

 eventually from 1,000 to 1,500 species 

 will be secured. 



In marking trees many things are to 



. 



NATIVE METHOD OF SKIDDING WITH CARIBAO.S IN LUZON. A CHANCE FOR AMERICAN 



IMPROVEMENT. 



