Productions and agriculture. 



MANILLA. 



Use of the buffalo. 

 Culture of rice. 



31? 



metalliferous deposits predominate. On some of 

 them the coal-beds form part of the cliffs along the 

 shore ; on others, copper is found in a chlorite and 

 talcose slate. The latter is more particularly the 

 case with Luzon, and the same formation extends 

 to Mindoro. Much iron occurs on the mountains. 

 Thus, among the Tagala natives, who are yet un- 

 subdued by the Spaniards, and who inhabit these 

 mountains, it is found by them of so pure a quality 

 that it is manufactured into swords and cleavers. 

 These are, occasionally, obtained by the Spaniards 

 in their excursions .into the interior against these 

 bands. 



The country around Manilla is composed of 

 tufa of a light gray colour, which being soft and 

 easily worked, is employed as the common building 

 material in the city. It contains, sometimes, 

 scoria and pumice, in pieces of various sizes, be- 

 sides, occasionally, impressions of plants, with pe- 

 trified woods. These are confined to recent species, 

 and include palms, &c. 



This tufa forms one of the remarkable features 

 of the volcanoes of the Philippine Islands, showing 

 a strong contrast between them and those of the 

 Pacific isles, which have ejected little else than 

 lava and scoria. 



Few portions of the globe seem to be so much 

 the seat of internal fires, or to exhibit the effects 

 of volcanic action so strongly as the Philippines. 

 During our visit, it was not known that any of the 

 volcanoes were in action ; but many of them were 

 smoking, particularly that in the district of Albay, 

 called Isaroc. Its latest eruption was in the year 

 1839; but this did little damage compared with 

 that of 1814, which covered several villages, and 

 the country for a great distance around, with 

 ashes. This mountain is situated to the south- 

 east of Manilla one hundred and fifty miles, and is 

 said to be a perfect cone, with a crater at its 

 apex. 



It does not appear that the islands are much 

 affected by earthquakes, although some have occa- 

 sionally occurred that have done damage to the 

 churches at Manilla. 



The coal which we have spoken of is deemed of 

 value; it has a strong resemblance to the bitumi- 

 nous coal of our own country, possesses a bright 

 lustre, and appears very free from all woody tex- 

 ture when fractured. It is found associated with 

 sandstone, which contains many fossils. Lead and 

 copper are reported as being very abundant; gyp- 

 sum and limestone occur in some districts. From 

 this, it will be seen that these islands have every 

 thing in the mineral way to constitute them desir- 

 able possessions. 



With such mineral resources, and a soil capable 

 of producing the most varied vegetation of the 

 tropics, a liberal policy is all that the country lacks. 

 The products of the Philippine Islands consist of 

 sugar, coffee, hemp, indigo, rice, tortoise-shell, 

 hides, ebony, saffron-wood, sulphur, cotton, cord- 

 age, silk, pepper, cocoa, wax, and many other 

 articles. In their agricultural operations the peo- 

 ple are industrious, although much labour is lost 

 by the use of defective implements. The plough, 

 of very simple construction, has been adopted from 

 the Chinese; it has no coulter, the share is flat, 

 and being turned partly to one side, answers, in a 

 certain degree, the purpose of a mould-board. 

 This rude implement is sufficient for the rich 



soils, where the tillage depends chiefly upon the 

 harrow, in constructing which a thorny species of 

 bamboo is used. The harrow is formed of five or 

 six pieces of this material, on which the thorns 

 are left, firmly fastened together. It answers its 

 purpose well, and is seldom out of order. A 

 wrought-iron harrow, that was introduced by the 

 Jesuits, is used for clearing the ground more 

 effectually, and more particularly for the purpose 

 of extirpating a troublesome grass, that is known 

 by the name of cogon (a species of andropogon), 

 of which it is very difficult to rid the fields. The 

 bolo or long-knife, a basket, and hoe, complete the 

 list of implements, and answer all the purposes of 

 our spades, &c. 



The buffalo was used until within a few years 

 exclusively in their agricultural operations, and 

 they have lately taken to the use of the ox; but 

 horses are never used. The buffalo, from the 

 slowness of his motions, and his exceeding rest- 

 lessness under the heat of the climate, is ill adapted 

 to agricultural labour; but the natives are very 

 partial to them, notwithstanding they occasion 

 them much labour and trouble in bathing them 

 during the great heat. This is absolutely neces- 

 sary, or the animal becomes so fretful as to be 

 unfit for use. If it were not for this, the buffalo 

 would, notwithstanding his slow pace, be most 

 effective in agricultural operations; he requires 

 little food, and that of the coarsest kind; his 

 strength surpasses that of the stoutest ox, and he 

 is admirably adapted for the rice or paddy fields. 

 They are very docile when used by the natives, 

 and even children can manage them; but it is said 

 they have a great antipathy to the whites, and all 

 strangers. The usual mode of guiding them is by 

 a small cord attached to the cartilage of the nose. 

 The yoke rests on the neck before the shoulders, 

 and is of simple construction. To this is attached 

 whatever it may be necessary to draw, either by 

 traces, shafts, or other fastenings. Frequently 

 this animal may be seen with large bundles of 

 bamboo lashed to them on each side. Buffaloes 

 are to be met with on the lake with no more than 

 their noses and eyes out of the water, and are not 

 visible until they are approached within a few feet, 

 when they cause alarm to the passengers by rais- 

 ing their large forms close to the boat. It is said 

 that they resort to the lake to feed on a favourite 

 grass that grows on its bottom in shallow water, 

 and which they dive for. Their flesh is not eaten, 

 except that of the young ones, for it is tough and 

 tasteless. The milk is nutritious, and of a cha- 

 racter between that of the goat and cow. 



Rice is, perhaps, of their agricultural products, 

 the article upon which the inhabitants of the 

 Philippine Islands most depend for food and profit; 

 of this they have several different varieties, which 

 the natives distinguish by their size and the shape 

 of the grain: the birnambang, lamuyo, malagequit, 

 bontot-cabayo, dumali, quinanda, bolohan, and 

 tangi. The three first are aquatic; the five latter 

 upland varieties. They each have their peculiar 

 uses. The dumali is the early variety; it ripens 

 in three months from planting, from which circum- 

 stance it derives its name: it is raised exclusively 

 on the uplands. Although much esteemed, it is 

 not extensively cultivated, as the birds and insects 

 destroy a large part of the crop. 



The malagequit is very much prized, and used 



