The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-05-11

great ptOUieInS CndC our empire state Snall
solve for her own and the worlds benefit.
PRODUCTS OF THE PHILIPPINES.
Much the Greater Part of the islands
Area Not Under Cultivation.
WASHINGTON, April THE agricultural,
mineral and commercial opportunities in the
Philippines are discussed in detail in the
monthly summary of commerce and finance,
Just issued by the treasury bureau of sta
tistics. This discussion shows that although
agriculture is the chief occupation of the
Inhabitants of the Philippines, yet only one
ninth of the surface of the islands is under
cultivation. The soil is very fertile, and
even after deducting the mountainous areas
can be very largely extended and that the
islands can support a population equal to
that of Japan (42, 900, O00).
The chief products are rice. corn hemp,
sugar, tobacco, cocoanuts and cocoa. Coffee
and cotton were formerly produced in large
Quantities-coffee for export and cotton for
home consumption-but the coffee plant has
been almost exterminated by insects and the
home made cotton cloths have been driven
out by the competition of those imported
from England. The rice and corn are prin-
cipally produced in Luzon and Mindoro and
is about 765, 900 tons. 1t is insufficient for
the demand, and As, 900 tons of rice were
imported in 1894. the greater portion from
Saigon and the rest from Hong Kong and
Singapore; also 1868 tons 100000 barrels) OF
flour, of which more than two-thirds came
from China and less than one-third from
the United States.
Cocoa is raised in the southern islands,
the best quality Of it at Mindanao. The
productions amounts only to $50 tons, and it
is all made into chocolate and consumed in
the islands.
The sugar cane is raised in the Visayas.
The crop yielded in 1894 about 235, 900 tons
of raw sugar. of which one-tenth was con-
sumed in the islands, and the remainder of
100000 tons, valued at $11, 900, was ex-
ported, the greater part to China, Great
Britain and Australia. The hemp is pro-
duced in south Luzon, Mindoro, the Visayas
and Mindanao. 1t is nearly all exported in
bales. In 1894 the amount was sc, 900 tons,
valued at $1200O,OOO. Tobacco is raised in
all the islands, but the best quality and
greatest amount in Luzon. large amount
is consumed in the islands, smoking being
universal among women as we'll as men, but
the best quality is exported. The amount
in 1894 was 1000 tons Of leaf tobacco valued
at $1,750. 900. Spain takes 80 per cent and
Egypt 10 per cent of the leaf tobacco. OF
the manufactured tobacco, 70 per cent goes
to China and Singapore, 10 per cent to Eng
land and 5 per cent to Spain. Cocoanuts
are grown in Southern Luzon and are used
in various ways. The products are largely
consumed in the islands, but the exports in
1894 were valued at 81, 100000.
Cattle, goats and sheep have been intro
duced from Spain, but they are not numer-
Gus. Domestic pigs and chickens are seen
everywhere in the farming districts. The
principal beast of burden is the carabao or
water buffalo, which is used for blowing rice
fields, as we'll as drawing heavy loads on
Iod on oorfo oil
most unknown. but there are great numbers
Of native ponies from nine to IL hands high,
possessing strength and endurance far be-
yond their size.
Gold is found in vast number of locali-
ties in the archipelago, from northern
Luzon to central Mindanao. In most cases
the gold is derital, and found either in exist
ing water courses or in stream deposits now
deserted by the current. The last are
called "alluviones'' by the Spaniards It
is said that in MindanaO some of the gravels
are in an elevated position and adapted to
hydraulic mining. There is no data at hand
which intimate decisvely the value of any
of the placers. They are washed by natives
largely with cocoanut shells for pans, though
the batea is also in use.
end of Luzon, there are placers, and the
gravel of the river Abra is auriferous. In
lapanto there are gold quartz veins as well
as gravels Gold Is obtained in this province
close to the copper mines. In Benguet the
gravels of the river Agno carry gold. There
is also gold in the province Of Bontoc and
in Nueva Ecija. The most important Of the
auriferOus provinces is Camarines More.
Here the townships of Mambulao, Paracale
and Labo are especially well known as gold
producing localities. Herr Drasche a we'll
known German geologist, says there were
700 natives at work on the rick quartz veins
of this place at the time of his visit about
Is years ago. At Paracale there are parallel
quartz veins In granite, one of which is 20
feet in width and contains a chute in which
the ore is said to assay SO ounces of gold per
ton. One may suspect that this assay hard
ly represented an average sample. Besides
the localities mentioned, many others of
this province have been worked by the ma
tives The islands of Mindoro, Catanduanes
Suhuyan, Panay, Cebu and Bohol are re-
ported to contain gold but no exact data are
available. All the south end of the small
island of Panaon. which is just to the south
of Leyte, there are gold quartz veins, one of
which has been worked to some extent. It
is six feet in thickness and has yielded
from IS to 81 per ton. In the island of Min
danao there are two known gold bearing
districts, the province of Surigao, where
Placer and other townships show gravels
and veins, and the province Of Misamas
Near the settlement of Imponan and on the
Gulf of Macajalar there are said to be many
square kilometers Of gravel carrying large
quantities Of gold, with which Is associated
platinum. The product of this district was
estimated some years since at 100 ounces per
month, all extracted by natives with bataes
or cocoanut shell dishes.
"Shall money control this govern
L. Az