210 The Philippine Journal of Science 



larval Crustacea. The tufted arms, or tentacles, are constantly- 

 gathering food, which is thrust into the mouth of the animal. 



The animal becomes of adult size in two years. It spaAvns 

 in its third year. Some specimens, which I believed to be but 

 two years old, contained many eggs. The young animals are 

 white and transparent. They attach themselves to roots of sea 

 plants or seek the safety of rocky crevices. I have found quan- 

 tities of the young under rocks near shore. 



The Japanese make use of this habit of the young in their 

 sea farming by .placing convenient rock piles in shallow water 

 in order to attract the young. Japan has also set aside certain 

 localities as breeding reserves for trepang, and in this way they 

 conserve this valued sea product. 



Considering that certain of these trepang are valued at more 

 than 1.50 pesos each, that they can be grown on a comparatively 

 restricted area of the reef, and that they are ready^ for the market 

 in two years, it is rather surprising that no work on the culti- 

 vation of some of the best varieties has been undertaken. The 

 trepang exported from the Department of Mindanao and Sulu 

 during 1913 weighed 90,786 kilogi'ams, valued at 35,107 pesos. 

 During the first four months of 1914 there were exported 48,502 

 kilogi'ams, valued at 15,626 pesos. This amount could be at 

 least doubled by a little systematic work. 



Australia exports trepang valued at 300,000 pesos each year. 

 Japan consumes a large part of her own supply and exports 

 90,000 pesos' worth of trepang. The Philippine Islands, which 

 occupy the most favorable position and have hundreds of miles 

 of reef with an abundance of trepang, fall far below either Aus- 

 tralia or Japan in their production of prepared trepang. There 

 is an opportunity for canning and packing companies to enter 

 this field and to supply trepang soup to the unlimited market 

 of China. 



