CLIMATE OF THE ISLANDS, 377 
in their interior are rich mines of copper, gold. ir 
“There are two distinct and sipnely ante ccusone 
the island of Luzon, namely, the rainy or the wintry season 
and the dry or summer season. For six months of the year 
—that is from June to December—the wind blows from the 
south-west to the north-east, and then the declivities of the 
mountains and all the western side of the island are in the 
season of the rains; in the six other months, the wind changes, 
——— —_— 
GROWING TOBACCO ON THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 
and blows from the north-east to the south-west, when all 
the eastern parts of the island have the season of winter. 
During the rainy season, the incessant fall of rain on the 
mountains causes the rivers, both large and small, to over- 
flow and to become torrents, that rush down upon the plains, 
covering them with water, and depositing the broken earth 
and slime which they have gathered in their course. In the 
dry season, water is supplied for irrigation from reservoirs, 
which are carefully filled during the rains. From these 
causes it follows that without any manuring, and with scarcely 
any improvement from human industry, the soil of the 
Philippines is as fertile as.any in the world ; so that, without 
great labor, the cultivator has most abundant harvests.” 
The above description of the Philippines by Gironiere 
gives a faithful account of the vast resources of the islands. 
Of the products cultivated rice and tobacco are the most 
important. The finest tobacco plantations are situated in the 
northern parts of the island of Luzon, and furnish the finest 
