174 Proceedings o^ the 



to avoid the above bad defects of cutting by insisting 

 upon the removal of as much of the poorer grades as 

 possible, and attempts to aid the reproduction of better 

 species in every possible way. 



No complete survey of standing timber in the islands 

 has ever been made. No record can be found of any 

 such work having been attempted during the Spanish 

 administration. Since the organization of the present 

 Bureau, this work has been commenced in six prov- 

 inces, in virgin forests as well as in regions that have 

 been severely cut. At the same time, vigorous work 

 is being done towards acquiring a knowledge of the 

 forests everywhere in the islands. A large herbarium 

 is being formed through the efforts of between 15 and 

 20 botanists, collectors, and foresters. We find up- 

 wards of 400 different tree species within a limited 

 area; and it is estimated that from 1,200 to 1,500 

 different tree species will be found in the islands. Be- 

 tween 500 and 700 different tree species are brought 

 into the market each year, of which about 40 are 

 well known. A detailed study of these 40 species 

 is being made, both by the botanists and foresters. 



An effort is being made to study many of the native 

 woods that are not well known in the market, but 

 which occur frequently, and which the foresters report 

 are not popular with the native lumbermen. To study 

 these woods, a factory has been started at Manila as 

 part of the work of the Bureau of Forestry, where 

 some 40 or more Filipino cabinet-makers and carpen- 

 ters work under the supervision of three American 

 expert cabinet-makers. In this way a number of 

 woods have been worked up in various ways so as to 

 show their utility and beauty. The work of this fac- 

 tory is to be transferred to Bilibid prison, where 150 

 or 200 men will be employed. Foresters and lumber- 



