470 



[December, 1912. 



RICE AND COTTON IN THE PHILIPPINES. 



In his Annual Report tor 1911-12 the Director of Agriculture in dealing 

 with the subject of rice cultivation of the Philippine Islands, says that as 

 rice is the crop upon which the great majority of the people of these 

 ands depend tor sustaining life, it was thought that the greatest good 

 to the greater number could be accomplished by trying to improve this 

 crop first. Up to the opening of the last planting season nine hundred 

 and ten varieties, native to these Islands, had been collected. Of this 

 number four hundred and fifty-two were found to be lowland, or trans- 

 planted rice, the remainder upland. The lowland varieties were planted 

 atAlabang, Rizal Province, on a stiff clay soil which had been used for 

 rice culture for many years. The same varieties were planted also at San 

 Miguel, Tarlac, on a rather new dark sandy soil. Irrigation water was 

 available in both cases. 



In testing these varieties much time was spent taking notes on each 

 variety in order that comparison may be made with its behaviour under 

 different conditions and in subsequent years, and also in order to be able 

 to identity varieties and eliminate duplicates. Observations were made 

 under eighty-eight different headings for each variety covering the entire 

 history of the plant from sowing to harvest and every part of the plant 

 which may be found to vary. This information is necessary in making a 

 close study of the varieties. 



The upland varieties were planted on the same land as last year except 

 that this land had been grown in velvet beans during the dry season 

 which left it in good condition for the succeeding crop of rice. The yields, 

 however, were not up to the year before mainly on account of the fact 

 that the rains were not as frequent as the year before. One very peculiar 

 fact was noticeable in regard to the crop ; while the rainfall was less than 

 the year before, particularly near the harvest time, the varieties took 

 three to twelve days longer to mature than they did the previous year. 



Cotton Investigations. 



Dealing with the question of cotton the same report says that one of 

 the principle lines of the activity of the fibre office during the fiscal year 

 1913 will be to carry on an extensive line of experiment work in cotton. 

 These will include native species and types of cotton as well as others 

 imported from the United States and Egypt. 



A systematic study and investigation work in cotton has not yet 

 been made ; but from the preliminary trials made during the past year 

 certain native types of cotton were found to exhibit such encouraging 

 results that it was deemed not only advisable .but also necessary, that 

 a more detailed and more systematic investigation be carried on. 



Through the co-operation of the demonstration and extension division, 

 the division has been able to secure samples of lint and seed from the 

 principle native species of cotton in Panay and Cebu, and also tentative 

 descriptions and information about these species. The sample of seed and 

 lint of the above mentioned and other species secured by the fibre expert 

 have been sent to the United States Department of Agriculture at their 

 request. Their tests and experiments, combined with the results which 

 we hope to arrive at here, promise very interesting and important infor- 

 mation about the cotton industry in general. 



