168 GIBBS. 



The biiri is found throughout the Philippines at low altitudes and is 

 reported as being verj' abundant in the Provinces of Mindoro, Pam- 

 panga, Tayabas, Sorsogon, Camarines, and Pangasinan. The Island 

 of Burias derived its name from the buri because of the gTeat number 

 of the palms of that kind found growing on it. 



A map showing the distribution is reproduced on page 170.'^ It 

 has been corrected through the division superintendents of the various 

 provinces and is probably as accurate as can be compiled without actually 

 sending surveying parties into the field. 



Merritt and Whitford of the Bureau of Forestry describe the growth 

 in Mindoro as follows :^^ 



"Behind the mangrove and nipa swamp is a belt not flooded at any time by 

 the tide, yet containing too much water for the growth of forest trees. Here is 

 usually an almost pure stand of the buri palm. Toward its higher limits it is 

 mixed with shrubs and forest trees and merges into the forest types. Reproduc- 

 tion is very plentiful, and large numbers of young plants are to be found. The 

 buri palm is not necessarily confined to the area bordering on the nipa, but may 

 form dense growth along the streams, especially if these run through or border 

 on the grass areas." 



In order to estimate the commercial value of the buri palm^ for pur- 

 poses which will be brought out later, an accurate estimate of the stands 

 on the Island of Mindoro, where the results seemed to be most promising, 

 was made at the request of the Bureau of Science by the Director of 

 Education. Mr. C. W. Franks, division superintendent of schools for 

 the Province of Mindoro, carried on the work through the teaching 

 force of his division. He insisted on a very careful survey and the 

 estimates are no doubt approximately correct. They are as follows : 



"In the Mamburao, Maasin, Pagbahan, and Santa Cru^ regions there are 7 

 principal stands and several smaller ones, in all about 34 hectares and containing 

 about 15,000 palms, of which about 4,500 are matured. The average is 130 

 matured palms to the hectare and 300 in the Santa Cruz district, where there 

 are about 12 hectares. 



"In the Sablayan district there are 6 large stands totaling 57 hectares and 

 containing about 39,500 palms, of which 21,560 are matured. Of these the 

 Bulanglot district contains 20 hectares averaging 534 matured palms or a total 

 of 10,680 matured palms. 



" This map, prior to its correction, was first published in Bulletin 33, Bureau 

 of Education, entitled "Philippine Hats," by Hugo H. Miller. 

 ''Bull. P. I. Bur. For. (1906), No. 6, 25. 



