﻿OOMPOSTELA-IUNAO COAL FIELD. 381 



An inspection of this table will show that there are no sharply 

 defined dry and rainy seasons. The heavy precipitation of January might 

 in another year come in the month of May. The rainfall in Cebu, where 

 the relief is pronounced and trees over much of the area conspicously 

 lacking, gathers very quickly in the arroyos and in a very short time the 

 streams attain alarming proportions and work great havoc. 



VEGETATION. 



1 am very fortunate in being aide to make use of the excellent report 

 of Forester H. D. Everett, of the Bureau of Forestry. His report is 

 much more reliable and complete than any discussion I could give and 

 therefore I have abstracted it almost in its entirety and in his own 

 words : 



Less than fifty years ago most of this hill and mountain country was covered 

 with a good, merchantable forest, but clearing has been so rapid that now only 

 an inferior forest remains, small in area and located on the steepest and most 

 inaccessible slopes and peaks. The forest areas are as follows, in order from 

 the poorest to best : On the mountains of Licos, Manghilao, Pulgason, Lantauan. 

 Donga and Uguis. Licos and Pulgason are near the mines of the Insular Coal 

 Company, but the others are nearer and more accessible to the mines of J. G. 

 White & Co. On the west side of the main divide of the island and tributary 

 to the Balamban River are the forests of Sacsac, large in area and in good condi- 

 tion, but practically inaccessible from the east. 



The forest of Mount Licos. — Mount Licos is a long, narrow ridge extending 

 from Camansi to the Compostela mines, reaching a height of 1,750 feet above 

 the sea. Only its top and steepest rocky slopes, which can scarcely be climbed, 

 have any tree growth and this is small and scattered. It is mapped as noncom- 

 mercial. Almost no trees of the better species grow there, although twenty 

 years ago a considerable quantity of good timber was secured in this place. 

 Almost no timber can be obtained for the mines. A few pieces for temporary 

 work of inferior kinds can*possibly be cut. 



Although this forest is small and in a deplorable condition, if it were protected 

 from Cutting and caiiTJ/ins (forest clearings) for some years, it would probably 

 recover. The land is only fit for forest use. 



The forest of Mount Pulgason. — Mount Pulgason is a large mountain with 

 many radiating ridges most of which are covered with cogon or small brush. 

 Many caiiigins cultivated to corn are on its slopes. The forest is located on the 

 top and in some of the draws near the top, on both the east and west sides. 

 Some of this may be considered as merchantable, although it has been cut over 

 for many years by the licensee, Ambrosio Lao. It is evidently by his efforts 

 that so much of this forest has been preserved from destruction by eaiiTT/ins. 

 since the slopes are not very rocky and caingvas could easily be made. 



The forests have a denser stand, larger trees and better species than on 

 Mount Licos, yet nevertheless they are in a poor condition, being characterized 

 by small trees and scattered growth. The species are mostly unknown small trees 



