New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-12

from the train because we did not have passes.
We objected so vigorously that they went to
call the officer Of the guard. and while they
were absent our train left the sta ton. We were
not further molested.
Climatic conditions In the Philippines are eI-
cecdingly favorable to the production OF sugar
and rice. The enormous and uniform rainfall
during the spring. summer and fall and the
comparatively dry weather during the winter,
when the cane is harvested. are considerations
OF the utmost Importance to the sugar producer
Some may be disappointed by the fact that only
one crop IL made from each planting but it must
be borne in mind that these lands have been
cropped for hundreds Of years without fertiliza-
ton and without the Of any renoyatng
processes. With deeper ploughns better tillage
and improved methods Of extraction the sugar
production on these islands will become a profit
able and important industry
On irrigated lands two crops of rice can be
obtained in year. each crop averaging from
1GOO to 1000 pounds Of rough rice per acre. A
large proportion of the rice lands is not irri-
gated. but depends upon the rain which falls
upon It, This Is so abundant that the crop
Is seldom a failure: but. Judging from observa-
ton and the statistics of large estates for a
term Of years. the product averages about one
sixth AZ much az that upon irrigated lands.
only one crop can be obtained per annum on
such lands
TESTS ON A BIG RICE FARM
one manager Of estates, including one hundred
and thirty thousand acres. gave from his books
the result Of test Of several years between
irrigated and nOn-irrigated rice lands The
former yielded an average Of 1000 pounds OF
rough rice per acre each crop, and produced two
crops annually; the latter gave one crop and
yielded AN average Of $50 pounds per acre.
large proportion Of the rice lands could be irri-
gated II desired.
Rice is universally sown in beds. and when
about eight inches high is transElanted into tn
rice field. Under the system pursued at present
one man farm 2la acres IF rice. and two
men and four bufIaloes will farm ~ acres Of
sugar cane.
The United States has little to fear from com
petition in sugar and rice from the Philippines
under existing conditions but should American
enterprise. machinery and methods supplement
the natural advantages Of these islands sugar
at least would become a considerable factor in
their commerce. Il is doubtful whether the in
creased production of rice would more than meet
the additional demand for home consumption by
the more prosperous aborers AS the plane u
civilization is elevated. as d rule agriculture be
comes more diversified. More land will be de-
voted 20 farm stock coffee. tobacco. hemp. pine
apples cocoanut palms. oranges. bananas. ETC.
for which the country Is we'll adapted 1t is as
serted by those who have lived in the Philippines
for many years that a superior quality Of
coffee is produced on the mountain slopes and
that coffee plantations profitable. The
valuable fibre known as Manila hemp is the
product OF a plant resembling the plantan. but
with darker corrugated leaf A jungle IL
cleared and the land is set with hemp. In
year and a half the plants are about eight
inches In diameter at the base and twenty feet