8 THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT 



status with practically the same methods and conditions as existed 

 many years aoo. New methods and additional capital will (luadruple 

 the output and bring so much more wealth to the country. The 

 lesser products of the country include coffee, cocoa, cocoanut, vanilla, 

 pep}»er and other sjnces, indigo, and a great variety of fruits charac- 

 teristic of the tropics. There are sections where Indian corn thrives, 

 while strawberries and blackberries have been grown with success in 

 the northern plateaux. There are, of course, many other products of 

 the soil, but here I am only calling attention to tlie principal ones 

 which attracted my eye in passing. Tlie tobacco is grown in the 

 northern section of Luzon, in the valley of the Cagayan River ; rice in 

 the i)rovinces between Manila and Dagupan, in the center of Luzon, 

 and hemp in the southeastern portion of Iaizou. In the Visayan 

 Islands, as well as in parts of Mindanao, sugar is the chief ])r()duct, 

 while the pearls that i)lease the vain world come from the Sulu group. 

 Thus it will l)e seen that the j)roducts of the islands are well dis- 

 tributed throughout their entire extent. 



The wealtli in minerals and metals is not fully known yet, but 

 there are sufficient indications to enable us to conclude that their re- 

 sources in these lines will l)e worth careful development. There are 

 numerous outcropi)ings of coal and iron ore, with indications of 

 copper, lead ore, tin, and platinum ; also there are found sulphur, 

 mercury, alabaster, jasper, and marble. The more precious ])roduct 

 of gold undoubtedly exists in paying quantities, while there are some 

 favorable signs of silver. 



On the extensive ranges of mountains in Luzon and in Mindoro 

 and Mindanao are to be found forests of most valuable woods. The 

 variety is surprising. It includes everything from soft palm and bam- 

 boo to ebony and ironwood. There is abundant material on the one 

 hand for furniture and cabinets, and on the other for ship-building 

 and heavy house construction. 



LAND CONFORMATION AND ARKA 



As I traveled from Aparri. on the north end of liUzon, south through 

 that island, thence through the Visayan group, then to Zamboanga, 

 in Mindanao, I was impressed everywhere by the marvelous inter- 

 mingling of well-watered, extensive valleys with broad, f^ertile plateaux 

 and high forested mountains. The conformation of the land impresses 

 the traveler as being suited not only for unlimited cultivation, ]»ut for 

 the support of a great population. The number of rivers and lakes 



