American Forest Congress 175 



men of each district are asked to send in samples of 

 native woods which are found in large quantities, and 

 which are not popular in the market, so that investiga- 

 tion may bring out some further utility or beauty which 

 would make them more popular. The articles made 

 from these woods are sold, thus helping to defray the 

 expense of this investigation ; at the same time a large 

 number of Filipinos are being trained in the art of 

 cabinet making. 



Of the 48,000,000 acres of woodland in the islands, 

 there are at least 20,000,000 acres of virgin public 

 forest. Valuation surveys by our foresters bring out 

 the fact that in this virgin forest there is an average 

 stand of 3,500 cubic feet of merchantable timber on 

 each acre. It is safe to assume that there is at least 

 1,500 cubic feet of timber on each acre which could 

 be marketed at once, and probably much of the re- 

 mainder, it will be found, can be used, after the 

 investigation in our workshops is concluded. 



We find no merchantable timber, and but very little 

 woodland, close to the centers of population. Thickly 

 populated islands, like Cebu and Panay, are almost 

 completely stripped of their timber; and in many of 

 the other islands the good timber has been cut away 

 for about five miles from the coast line. In other 

 islands we find the virgin forest extending down to the 

 water's edge. 



During the fiscal year 1904, about 50,000,000 feet 

 B. M. of native timber were brought to market, 

 while about 30,000,000 feet of timber were imported 

 from the United States, Australia, and Borneo. Much 

 more timber would be used in the islands if the price 

 were a little lower. The lowest grade of lumber is 

 now worth $35 to $40 per M. 



The forest wealth of the islands, especially in those 



