The coffee-plant. 

 The sugiir-cane. 



MANILLA. 



Price of labour. Profits. 



319 



is the only port whence it can legally be exported. 

 It arrives in large bundles, and is packed there, by 

 means of a screw-press, in compact bales, for 

 shipping, secured by rattan, each weighing two 

 piculs. 



The best Manilla hemp ought to be white, dry, 

 and of a long and fine fibre. This is known at 

 Manilla by the name of lupis ; the second quality 

 they call bandala. 



The exportation has much increased within the 

 last few years, in consequence of the demand for 

 it in the United States; and the whole crop is now 

 monopolized by the two American houses of 

 Sturges & Co. and T. N. Peale & Co., of Manilla, 

 who buy all of good quality that comes to market. 

 This is divided between the two houses, and the 

 price they pay is from four to five dollars the 

 picul. The entire quantity raised in 1840 was 

 eighty-three thousand seven hundred and ninety 

 piculs ; in 1841, eighty-seven thousand. 



The quantity exported to the United States in 

 1 340, was sixty-eight thousand two hundred and 

 eighty piculs, and in 1841, only sixty-two thousand 

 seven hundred piculs ; its value in Manilla is 

 about three hundred thousand dollars. Twenty 

 thousand piculs go to Europe. There are no duties 

 on its exportation. 



That which is brought to the United States is 

 principally manufactured in or near Boston, and is 

 the cordage known as " white rope." The cordage 

 manufactured at Manilla is, however, very supe- 

 rior to the rope made with us, although the hemp 

 is of the inferior kind. A large quantity is also 

 manufactured into mats. 



In the opinion of our botanist, it is not probable 

 that the plant could be introduced with success 

 into our country, for in the Philippines it is not 

 found north of latitude 14 N. 



The coffee-plant is well adapted to these islands. 

 A few plants were introduced into the gardens of 

 Manilla, about fifty years ago, since which time it 

 has been spread all over the island, as is supposed 

 by the civet-cats, which, after swallowing the 

 seeds, carry them to a distance before they are 

 voided. 



The coffee of commerce is obtained here from 

 the wild plant, and is of an excellent quality. Up- 

 wards of three thousand five hundred piculs are 

 now exported, of which one-sixth goes to the 

 United States. 



The sugar-cane thrives well here. It is planted 

 after the French fashion, by sticking the piece 

 diagonally into the ground. Some, finding the 

 cane has suffered in times of drought, have adopted 

 other modes. It comes to perfection in a year, 

 and they seldom have two crops from the same 

 piece of land, unless the season is very favour- 

 able. 



There are many kinds of cane cultivated, but 

 that grown in the valley of Pampanga is thought 

 to be the best. It is a small red variety, from 

 four to five feet high, and not thicker than the 

 thumb. The manufacture of the sugar is rudely 

 conducted ; and the whole business, I was told, was 

 in the hands of a few capitalists, who, by making 

 advances, secure the whole crop from those who 

 are employed to bring it to market. It is gene- 

 rally brought in moulds, of the usual conical shape, 

 called pilones, which are delivered to the pur- 

 chaser from November to June, and contain each 



about one hundred and fifty pounds. On their 

 receipt, they are placed in large storehouses, where 

 the familiar operation of claying is performed. 

 The estimate for the quantity of sugar from these 

 pilones after this process is about one hundred 

 pounds; it depends upon the care taken in the 

 process. 



Of cotton they raise a considerable quantity, 

 which is of a fine quality, and principally of the 

 yellow nankeen. In the province of Ylocos it is 

 cultivated most extensively. The mode of clean- 

 ing it of its seed is very rude, by means of a hand- 

 mill, and the expense of cleaning a picul (one hun- 

 dred and forty pounds) is from five to seven 

 dollars. There have, as far as I have understood, 

 been no endeavours to introduce any cotton-gins 

 from our country. 



It will be merely necessary to give the prices at 

 which labourers are paid, to show how low the 

 compensation is, in comparison with those in our 

 own country. In the vicinity of Manilla, twelve 

 and a half cents per day is the usual wages; this in 

 the provinces falls to six and nine cents. A man 

 with two buffaloes is paid about thirty cents. The 

 amount of labour performed by the latter in a day 

 would be the ploughing of a soane, about two- 

 tenths of an acre. The most profitable way of 

 employing labourers is by the task, when, it is 

 said, the natives work well, and are industrious. 



The manner in which the sugar and other pro- 

 duce is brought to market at Manilla is peculiar, 

 and deserves to be mentioned. In some of the 

 villages, the chief men unite to build a vessel, 

 generally a pirogue, in which they embark their 

 produce, under the conduct of a few persons, who 

 go to navigate it, and dispose of the cargo. In due 

 time they make their voyage, and when the ac- 

 counts are settled, the returns are distributed to 

 each according to his share. Festivities are then 

 held, the saints thanked for their kindness, and 

 blessings invoked for another year. After this is 

 over, the vessel is taken carefully to pieces, and 

 distributed among the owners, to be preserved for 

 the next season. 



The profits in the crops, according to estimates, 

 vary from sixty to one hundred per cent.; but it 

 was thought, as a general average, that this was, 

 notwithstanding the great productiveness of the 

 soil, far beyond the usual profits accruing from 

 agricultural operations. In some provinces this 

 estimate would hold good, and probably be ex- 

 ceeded. 



Indigo would probably be a lucrative crop, for 

 that raised here is said to be of a quality equal to 

 the best, and the crop is not subject to so many 

 uncertainties as in India: the capital and attention 

 required in vats, &c., prevent it from being raised 

 in any quantities. Among the productions, the 

 bamboo and rattan ought to claim a particular 

 notice from their great utility: they enter into 

 almost every thing. Of the former their houses 

 are built, including frames, floors, sides, and roof; 

 fences are made of the same material, as well as 

 every article of general household use, including 

 baskets for oil and water. The rattan is a general 

 substitute for ropes of all descriptions, and the 

 two combined are used in constructing rafts for 

 crossing ferries. 



I have thus given a general outline of the capa- 

 bilities of this country for agricultural operations, 



