TWENTY -FOURTH ANNUAL FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 55 



themselves. Negroes have not as yet been given a sufficient trial there, 

 and the attempt might be as dangerous for them as it was for the 

 Chinese, on account of the hostility of the natives. 



Sugar is one of the chief industries of several provinces in Luzon and 

 of several islands in the south, notably Negros and Panay. Large 

 quantities are exported, chiefly to America and England. Great im- 

 provements can be made in methods, and probably the sharpest 

 competition the United States will have will be in sugar. The soil and 

 climate are especially well adapted to sugar-growing, and with a little 

 improvement in methods, roads, etc., the export of sugar will increase 

 vastly. 



There is no danger of any serious competition in citrus fruits. The 

 best oranges they raise there are scarcely fit to eat. They are not 

 as good as the worst that are produced here. It takes four or five of 

 their limes to make a good drink of lemonade. The acid juices are 

 sought after by all in that climate, and instead of there being any 

 danger of competition from the islands, no doubt they would offer a 

 splendid market for the sale of our citrus fruits. Care must be taken 

 in the shipping, however, for in several shipments that were made about 

 ninety per cent of the lemons spoiled. 



Cotton is grown on the islands, but to a very limited extent, and can 

 never come into competition with the product of America. 



QUESTION. How about the woods, teak wood in particular ? 



ANSWER. I do not know if teak is grown. The most valuable woods 

 are the hard woods. The value of the soft woods in the Philippines is 

 so slight that upon recommendation of the Quartermaster Department 

 the United States Army brought from the Pacific Slope all the wood 

 that is used in the Philippines. 



Q. How about the gold and iron deposits ? 



A. They are very large and extensive. The iron deposits are very 

 rich, but owing to Spanish rule it has been impossible to exploit any of 

 the mines to any extent, on account of such a continual system of 

 bribery which had to be resorted to. 



Q. How about the gold ? 



A. The mineral resources of the Islands are great, and I expect in 

 the next few years to see great excitement in that region. Gold and 

 copper and nearly all the minerals you find here are found there in 

 abundance. 



There is one thing more that may possibly compete with us, and that 

 is the cattle. It is a magnificent cattle country in many places. They 

 have plenty of feed and raise it without irrigation. I think it will be 

 some time before the cattle will be dangerous to us, on account of cattle 

 thieves and ignorance of the natives. 



