Feb. 1907.] 



121 



Miscellaneous. 



A larger percentage of the land is undeveloped and still under forest. Many 

 of the northern islands are largely under cultivation, the mountains however being 

 forested. In the southern islands, Mindano etc, it is estimated that forests cover 

 70% of the total acre. 



Timber and Lumbering.— The are between 700 and 1000 species of timber trees, 

 a large number of which are excellent for construction timbers, furniture and 

 cabinet work, etc> trees 3 to 5 feet in diameter and over 100 feet in height are 

 common throughout the forests. The forest laws are liberal. Lumbermen are 

 given concessions of from 50,000 to 200,000 acres on which they have the first right 

 to cut timber. A small forest tax is charged for each cubic metre of wood cut. 

 Numerous sawmills are scattered throughout the islands aud lumbering is a paying 

 business. Minor forest products; such as dyebark, firewood, gums and resins, 

 rattan, guttapercha, are also abundant. Large quantities of gutta and " almaciga" 

 (resin) are shipped from the Island of Mindanao to Singapore. The total area of 

 agricultural land, at the time the census was taken (1905) was 2,827,704 hectares. 

 This amount is only 9*5% of the total area of the islands. In the last few years 

 agricultural development has made rapid strides of advance. 



Agricultural Land.— The following figures show the percentage of agri- 

 cultural land that is land actually under cultivation, in a few of the most 

 important islands. 



Island. Total area hectares. percentage of agri : land. 



Mindanao ... 9,399,628 ... ... 14 



Luzon ... ... 10,610,971 ... ... 15.1 



Cebu ... ... 456,350 ... ... 26*3 



An immense amount of land in all the islands is awaiting development. Large 

 areas of bottom land formed of alluvial wash from the mountains is available for 

 the cultivation of rubber, manila, hemp, sugarcane, coconuts, and tobacco, etc. 



The chemical composition of such soils, is excellent, in fact richer than most 

 of the best quality land in Ceylon. Planted on such situations, crops make a 

 surprising growth. 



Land Leases.— Much of the best land is held by the Government. Copora- 

 tions may buy up to 2500 acres for approximately $2*00 gold U.S. (Rs. 6) per acre. 

 The land may also be leased for 25 years for 25 cts U.S. gold per hectare, with an 

 option on a renewal of the lease for another 25 years at a rate not higher than 

 75 cents U. S. gold per hectare. 



Climate.— The mean annual temperature of the Islands is 80° F. The 

 average maximum temperature for the last twenty years was 92*5° F, with an 

 average minimum during the same period of 69° F. The rainfall varies according 

 to situation. The yearly average varies from 33 to 160 inches but in the planting 

 districts rarely falls below 70 inches. The rainy season is July, August, September, 

 October, the dry season is March, April, May, June. The seasons however, also 

 vary according to situation. On the whole the rainfall is fairly evenly distributed 

 throughout the year, so that there is rarely a month without at least occasional 

 showers. The climate is excellent and Americans find no difficulty in spending a long 

 period of years in the Islands. 



FIGURES IN MORTALITY. 



Americans period of 8 years ... ... 14*80 per thousand 



Spaniards 1995 ... ... ... 20*17 „ „ 



T ^! n ? s » 16*15 „ 



Inhpinos „ ... ... ... 44*54 „ 



Other Nationalities 1905 ... ... ... 29*05 ,, , 4 



