The times., 1899-03-27
EXPLORATION OF THE
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
DR.. Knapp's Interesting Re-
port to Secretary Wilson.
Vast Areas of Public Land viii
Pass to the United States.
May He Opened to Ameri-
can Settlers.

DIR. S. A Knapp, who was sent by the
United States Department of Agriculture to
Japan. China. and the Philippines, as an
agricultural explorer. has reported to Sec
retary Wilson the results of his explora-
tions The results of his Investigations in
China and Japan are chiefly of~interest to
the Agricultural Department and those
concerned in the study of the soil pro-
ducts of the world. But what DR.. Knapp
found in the Philippines is of more general
interest
From China he proceeded to the Philip
pines. and there took up the same line OF
Investigations pursued in Japan. On ar
rival at Manila he found it somewhat dan
gerous TO go into the country. but conclud-
ed TO go by rail as far as San Fernando
passing through the rice section to the east
and north of Manila. on to the sugar lands
of the north. He observed that but small
portion of the rice lands was irrigated;
that the fields were small and the sys
tenn of planting and harvesting similar to
that of Japan. The water buffalo is uni
versally used for plowing and drawing
drawing loads. Depending mainly upon the
rainfall for irrigating the rice, planting is
not done till commencement of the rainy
season. Much of the rice was still un-
harvested at the date of his inspection (De-
cember 10, 1S9S). The yield per acre, ac-
cording to the best authorities, is about
1000 pounds of hulled rice on lands under
rainfall irrigation solely, and 1000 pounds
on lands artificially irrigated. This shows
very careless husbandry. With such lands,
and under such a favorable climate, the
product per acre should be much greater.
The rich clay loan soil about San Fer
nando is well adapted to sugar cane. In
the island of Luzon the methods of sugar
farming are quite different from those
practiced in the United States. The cane
| is not allowed to ratoon but is planted
annually. At the time of cutting the cane
| for the mill the immature portion of the
!! stock is planted in a field previously pre-
pared. Very little cultivation is done
| The cane natures in twelve months from
planting, and is harvested before the rainy
season commences in May. The sugar fac
| tories in Luzon are the crudest conceiv
able The mills are not better than farm
sorghum mills. The kettles are simply
wooden tubs with cast iron bottoms. The
sugar is drained upon the opSn kettle plan.
The proprietor furnishes land and factory
and the tenant furnishes seed does all
the work in the field. delivers the cane TO
the mill. and supplies most of the hands
ceives one-half the sugar and all the
| molasses. The tenant. in theory, is al
lowed the remainder. but in practice he
usually receives about two-fifths of the
sugar. DR.. Knapp was informed that in
| the islands of Panay, Negos and Cebu
the sugar farms and facSfies are much
more improved than in Luzon. Sugar
lands produce from 5000 to 5000 pounds
per acre. depending upon the cultivation
and the factory.
The Filipinos. as far as he observed, do
not give as much attention to the prcduc-
| tion OF nitrogenous foods as the japanese.
and hence are less muscular. He was un-
| able to visit the tobacco section in North
| LuZon and the hemp district OF South
| LuZcn. Spanish statistical reports and his
| interviews with exporters at Mania satis-
| fled him of the prosperity of these indus
tries under normal conditions. Millet
maize, sago. and indigo do well. and are
| ordinarily profitable crops. Philippine cof-
| fee, of which there were formerly many
plantations. has a peculiarly rich and
pleasant flavor. Evidence was presented
to him showing that the industry can b.
| made profitable. Cocoanuts, p;neapples 8
oranges, bananas, grapes, figs, and many
| other fruits grow almost spontaneously
| with reasonable care they would become
| articles of export.
The Philippine Islands abound in valua-
bic wood for building. furniture, dye
woods. and some yielding costly gums
While unable TO visit the forests, Dr.
Knapp saw many remarkable specimens Gu,
from the giant trees. among which was
section of a mahogany tree from Min
danao. over seven feet in diameter. Con-
| sui Williams shipped this TO his home in
| New York.
According TO the best authority nearly
| thirds of the land is still public and
passes TO the United States with the title
II opened for settlement TO soldiers many
| of our young men will remain and become
permanent settlers. Some associations OF
this kind have already been organized
The price of improved land ranges from 81
10 $50 per acre (gold), depending upon the
| location and value of the improvements
| DIR. Knapp spent several days in a real
estate office examining plats of planta-
| tions and discussing Improvements and
prices with proprietors of estates from a
number of the Islands. A sugar plantation
of $500 acres in the extreme southern por-
tion of Luzon was offered at 500 per acre
1t was well situated; all arabic land; good
buildings; sugar house, modern with
! vacuum pan; 500 buffaloes and / 200 people
I on the place. The proprietor claimed tc
have received an annual net income OF
sl6, 600 (gold) from the property. He was q
Spaniard and wanted TO leave the country
Reports of the observatory at Manil;
show that the average rainfall for the pas
thirty years has been seventy five and four
tenths t15-D inches. 1t varied consider
ably in different years. In 1885 the tota
was $50 inches; in 1897 it was 1909 inches
In December, January, February, March
and April the rainfall averages from hal
an inch TO two inches per month. In Ma!
il is nearly as much as in the five months
preceding and precipitation increases til
September, during which 1t amounts on al
average to 2s.2 inches, then it decrease
till December. The temperature is quit
uniform. q ersg ng during the past eighteel
years II degrees for January, the coldes
month. and SS.S degrees for May. tn
warmest month. Within that period tn
thermometer only once rose to 100 degrees
and once fell to 70.i degrees.
Prominent Filipinos assured DR.. KNAPP
that upon their estates the laborers wer
Industrious and thrifty and If encourage,
these conditions would become general
visit 10 the carpenter shops, machine shops
and various small factories satisfied hin
that the Filipinos make good mechanic
when properly trained.