154 GIBBS. 



from each tree, in Kolaba 4.2 pints (2.2 liters) a day, or 10.5 imperial gallons 

 (47.7 liters) a month. This is equivalent to a rate of 1.56 liters per day. 



Lyon" states that more than a liter a day is sometimes drawn from one tree, 

 and 5 hectoliters are considered a fair annual average from a good, bearing palm. 



Molisch," in Java, has made the most accurate measurements of the sap flow 

 from single inflorescences during their period of production. From January 9 

 to 23, 1898, fourteen days, one inflorescence gave 8 liters of sugar sap, equivalent 

 to 0.57 liter per day, and the flow would probably have continued longer. A 

 second inflorescence gave, from January 10 to 19, nine days, 4.87 litersj equivalent 

 to 0.54 liter per day. A third from January 10 to 24, fourteen days, gave 

 4.526 liters, an avei-age of 0.324 liter daily, when the flow ceased. In one of 

 these eases cited, when the flow was at its height, considerably more than 1 liter 

 a day issued from a single stalk. 



My own observations in the PMlippines agree fairly well with the 

 data of Molisch, although no accurate measurements of the flow during 

 the life of a single inflorescence have been attempted. In some cases, 

 especially in the thirty-three days' test of 100 trees described later, I 

 have obtained considerably larger yields. Twelve different trees, the 

 flow in each measured from one inflorescence during the night, prac- 

 tically twelve hours, gave respectively 665, 635, 575, 470, 360, 360, 440, 

 440, 240, 670, 310, and 500, an average of 472 cubic centimeters. In 

 each case at least one other inflorescence on each tree was also flowing 

 sap. No account was taken of these, since the investigation at that 

 time was not planned to measure the sap flow. Native tuba gatherers 

 and distillers variously estimate the production of each tree from 1 to 

 2 liters daily throughout the year. A tree will grow about 10 fruit 

 stalks annually and each one will run sap for about two months. Trees 

 in good condition, growing in good soil, produce about 400 liters of 

 sap annually and are in their prime when about 40 years old. Young 

 trees often produce less than 300 liters. It is to be noted that this 

 estimate may often be reduced materially by improper handling of the 

 trees, by typhoons, and other local causes. 



An investigation of seven distilleries in the Province of Tayabas re- 

 vealed the fact that the average daily production of 5,785 trees from 

 April, 1909, to March, 1910, inclusive, was 0.65 liter per tree. (Usually 

 two inflorescences were flowing sap.) The data for each of the seven 

 distilleries are tabulated as follows: 



'^Bull. P. I. Bur. Agr. (1905), No. 8, 12. 

 '*Loc. cit.. 1258. 



