176 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



parts where no operations have been carried on, is 

 enormous. Large quantities of timber valuable for 

 house and ship construction, cabinet woods, dyewoods, 

 rubber, high grade of gutta percha, resins, and oils 

 are found. 



The display of Philippine forest products at the 

 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, at St. Louis, Mo., was 

 a revelation to the many visitors. None had realized 

 the enormous quantities, size, and beauty of the native 

 timber, and the great variety of other valuable forest 

 products which the islands produce. 



Up to the present, logging has been carried on in the 

 same locality for a great many years, no effort being 

 made to operate a virgin forest even a day's journey 

 from the settlements. This has been due largely to 

 the fact that in former times there was very little 

 protection to life and property. The Filipinos prefer 

 to live in settlements and work within a few miles 

 of them. 



Only one company in the islands has made prepara- 

 tions to log with modern equipment, and is now 

 operating in nothern Negros. The first 2O-year ex- 

 clusive timber license to operate over a large area was 

 granted to this company in August, 1904. 



The question is often asked, How much of the forests 

 of the islands are held by private owners? Of the 

 48,000,000 acres of woodland, much less than 1,000,000 

 acres are now in private hands. The forest law re- 

 quires that all owners of private woodlands shall 

 register their titles in the Bureau of Forestry before 

 marketing the standing timber. If this timber is cut 

 without registration of title, it is considered as taken 

 from public land. Up to date, 132 estates, aggregat- 

 ing in area 270,000 acres, are registered in the Bureau. 

 All owners of private woodlands throughout the is- 



