204 The Philippine Journal of Science 1917 



COMMERCIAL CORALS 



The most abundant coral in the Archipelago is the common 

 Porites, or massive reef -building coral, that forms the greater 

 portion of all reefs. Large blocks of this are sometimes used 

 for building purposes ; it is also used in road making and is fre- 

 quently burned for lime. 



Several other genera produce coral used for ornamental pur- 

 poses, but this has little commercial value. Some of these are 

 Prodobacia, which usually grows in the shape of a vase ; Herpe- 

 tolitha, which resembles a pickle dish; Madrepora, which grows 

 like a great mushroom with its head covered with a crown of 

 spikes; Caeloria, the brain coral; Heliopora, the blue coral; and 

 Tubipora, the beautiful red organ-pipe coral. Two or three 

 small pieces of the precious red coral have been found in this 

 Archipelago, but no systematic search for the bed has ever 

 been made. 



The most valuable coral found in these waters is the black 

 coral, Antipathes abies. This occurs in two forms; one, called 

 hay ten by the Chinese, resembles a coiled wire and is un- 

 branched, the other, called thie chew by the Chinese, is branched 

 and when first taken from the water resembles a Christmas 

 tree. It takes a beautiful polish and can be easily straightened 

 by the use of dry heat. 



The black coral is found in great abundance directly in front 

 of the town of Jolo in Jolo Channel. It is also found in many 

 other places, especially near Siasi and Sitanki; the principal 

 fishery, however, is at Jolo. 



There is a small local market for this coral after it has been 

 made into canes, swagger sticks, and bracelets. China, however, 

 is the principal market. The coral is usually cut into proper 

 lengths for bracelets ; these are made into bundles, each contain- 

 ing two dozen pieces. These bundles sell for 5 pesos each. The 

 long sticks, which can be used for canes, sell at the rate of about 

 24 pesos for thirty sticks. I believe a market for this black 

 coral could be found in Japan or Europe. At present, the amount 

 exported is unimportant. 



TREPANG FISHERIES 



LOCATION OP PRINCIPAL FISHERIES 



There is scarcely a reef or an island in the entire Sulu Archi- 

 pelago where trepang (beche de mer) does not abound. 



The chief fisheries, however, are in the vicinity of Jolo, Siasi, 

 Bongao, and Sitanki, not because there is more trepang near 



