Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-25
FARMING IN THE PHILIPPINES.
The Country Capable of n Greatly In
creased PrOductiyenesr

An interesting report on agriculture in the
Philippines. made by DR.. George F. Becker
OF the geological survey, has been published
by the Agricultural Department. 1t states
tina. the Spaniards cannot be said TO have
been remiss in introducing into the Philip
pines plants of economic value suitable 10
the Climate. Very soon after Magellan dis
covered the archipelago U52D tobacco seed
was brought over from Mexico The leaf
soon became extremely popular among the
natives. and the plant reached China, for
the first time. from Manila about the end
OF ne sixteenth century. The Cacao. too,
was brought over from America about 1870.
Maize, the potato and red pepper Were also
introduced from the same continent and
seemingly at early dates. Varieties of the
sugar cane have doubtless been introduced.
and some of the most prominent kinds of
cane grown in the West Indies are cult
waited here
little seems to have been done TO promote
the advance of methods of cultivation in
these islands or toward a scientific knowl-
edge of their capabilities
"A ninth part of the territory @ a67 600
hectares. equal TO S.aS1 25I acres) is under
cultivation; and while the total area is al
most as great as that of the United King
dom, the popula ton according to tn. last
G. nsus OF 1887 is only about 6,0,n,GO0 in
habitants. II is clear. therefore that the
country is capable of a greatly increased
productiveness
THE first and most important crop Is
rice, the stan OF life TO the indigenous pop
ulation. More than 100 varieties of this
grain are known and many of these are
very generally cultivated. The variety call
ed minis Is most highly valued on account
of its white and translucent grain aro-
matte smell and agreeable taste. In some
provinces of the Philippines maize is en-
ployed instead of rice: such is the case in
Casayan and Isabella of the Island of
LuZon. where the culture of maize alter
mates with that of tobacco. In the other
provinces maize is an Indispensable sup
plement in case Of the loss of the rice crop,
on account of the rapid growth of this
grain, particularly the early varieties
Beans. potatoes. the tapioca root and a
great variety OF other nutritious food plants
are also grown, besides a long list of vege-
tables and fruits.
The only sugar-producing plant en-
plCyed industrially in the Philippines is
the cane. The yellow Otahitian variety and
the purple Batavian are among those en-
ployed. The sugar product of the entire
archipelago is estimated at 3GO0U0O piculs
tof i4s English pounds on the average
with mean annual value Of s.. stsl $50 The
principal customer for this article is the
Crited States. to which s5.GoOaoa worth is
exported. Then follow in the order of i'm
pCrtance England, Spain. China. etc. AL
most all the sugars produced in the Philip
pines are raw. There was in 1894 a single
&C ntrifugal refinery in Manila.
Among the ibrous and textile plants the
III ~ pldCf Is ldhtll 10y dndca. Ine external
appearance of which is identical with that
of the plantain. although its fruit is smaller
and inedible.
Cotton was some time arc of so mucn
Importance as to rank as the leading raw
material for the domestic textile industries
but cotton culture has been reduced TO very
small proportions by the competition OF
English cotton goods (Which are Imported
to the value of $5,Uoo.U3m. and also by the
tax which is laid upon looms.
THE cacao, from which chocolate is pre-
pared, is a very delicate plant. Ii does not
thrive very well in Luzon, but prospers in
the milder southern portion OF the archi-
pelago. and especially in Davao. I'm the
province of Mindanao. Here il is produced
in great abundance and of the hest quality.
Coffee was until recently produced on an
extensive scale i'm the provinces of Laguna,
Tayabas, Cavite and especially In Batangas.
The coffee OF the Philippines NAV be COM
pared with that Of Java and Martinique,
but there are some spots in which the quail
ity of the product, according to experts. is
comparable only with that of Mocha
Tobacco is produced all over the Philip
pines, but the best is obtained in the prov
ince of Isabella. especially in the plains OF
the townships which lie TO the southwark
of Iligan. Various varieties Of tobacco are
there cultivated. The most productive to-
bacco lands are those which fertiliZed
by the periodical foundations Of the rivers
Thousands of situations have been OBJ