THE INDUSTRIAL LIFE. 17 
13. If the crops survive against all obstacles, harvesting follows, but with 
greater difficulty than in the first year, owing to the established headway of 
the grass, weeds, and second growth. The surplus crops are stored at the 
close of the second year of the kaingin cultivation. 
14. At the beginning of the third year the old kaingin is abandoned if the 
cogon grass shows strong development and the second tree growth has made 
vigorous headway. A new kaingin is now sought, the forest cut down and 
burned, and the same process of cultivation and harvesting followed as in the 
first and second years. 
15. If the old kaingin is cultivated for the third and fourth years the same 
method is observed as in the first and second years, but with diminishing suc- 
cess, by reason of the lack of proper tillage. 
16. The Subanu justifies the kaingin method of agriculture on the basis 
of ignorance, poverty, lack of proper implements, and the absence of working 
animals. ‘There must also be added the lack of incentive to improve, because 
of the exploitation of these hill people by the coast dwellers. Whenever the 
former gave signs of prosperity, the latter formed and finally executed schemes 
to gain the entire surplus of the hill people. To rid themselves, as far as pos- 
sible, from these parasites, the Subanu moved farther inland and sought the 
most inaccessible places for their temporary houses. 
17. The kaingin farmer can not successfully develop the cogon clearing, 
his only implements being the pes (chopping knife), with a blade about 14 
inches long and with a round or square head; the hilamon (digging knife), 
smaller than the pes; the gwasay (grubbing knife and adze),a sort of axe witha 
blade about 13 inches long and about 5 inches wide at the cutting edge, and 
tapering back to about an inch at the head. ‘This knife is fastened in a handle 
corresponding in form and size to that used with the American axe. For har- 
vesting rice and digging roots and tubers smaller knives of various shapes 
are used. 
18. Cogon grass is a rapidly growing plant of tough fiber and sometimes 
reaches a height of 10 to 12 feet. When thrown down by the wind and rain 
it forms an impenetrable, tangled mass which will yield only to the knife and 
fire. When young and about 10 inches high the grass is tender and excellent 
for grazing. When 18 inches to 2 feet it may be cut for cattle fodder. When 
5 to 8 feet in height the grass is cut for thatching, especially when the nipa 
palm can not be obtained. 
The kaingin method of farming has deforested many thousands 
of acres of the finest timber in the Subanu country and has been very 
destructive of such natural resources. ‘The practice still prevails to a 
large extent, both in and out of the Subanu territory. The law pro- 
hibiting the system is ineffective for want of sufficient forestry inspectors 
and lack of funds to employ them. It is evident that this system is 
not profitable either to the government or to the hill people, nor is it the 
best that can be done by the government for the welfare of these people. 
The Public Law Act No. 926, as amended by No. 979 of the Philippine 
Commission, provides a homestead (free land) of 40 acres for natives 
oi the islands. The conditions under which this presentation is made 
by the government involve many complications and delays connected 
with the cadastral survey of the land, in order tosecure a reliable title in 
the name of the native, who stands in urgent need of a permanent home 
and a greater degree of prosperity than he has ever before possessed. 
