Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-26
This Governments New Possessions
Rich in Rare Timber.
MILLIONS OF ACRES WOODED over
Report by Forestry Division of
Department Of Agriculture.
N rE r E STIN q D A L A


Department has received from an agent
In the Philippines highly interesting
port on the woods of that archipelago,
which, 1t is understood. will soon be issued as
bulletin The agent states that from vart-
Gus sources of information he was led To-
believe that the public forest lands COM
prise from one-fourth to possibly one-half
Of the area of the Philippine Islands-that
IS, from 2a.000.e6e to 40,090.0e0 acres. There
are fully 5,0Oo,0o0 acres of virgin forest own
ed by the government in the islands of
Mindoro and Paragua. The Island of Min
danao. with an area OF more than 2,0io.OW
acres, is almost entirely covered with tim
Der, and has but small percentage of cult
waited land. In the province of Cagayan, on
the Island of Luzon, there are more han
%, O0O, COO acres of forest. In the places
just mentioned the cuttings up to the pres.
ent date have been very small. -
In many other, provinces in the Island of
Luzon, especially in the country close to
Manila, much timber has been cut, and to
fill large contracts the lumbermen are
obliged to go quite a distance from that
city in order to find suitable tract.
The Southern Islands.
In a recent visit to the southern group the
agent impressed with the amount of
timber standing on the smaller Islands.
Frequently the topography was such that
it could be exploited with facility. There
were tracts of virgin forests where from
10000 to 10000 cubic feet of magnificent
timber per acre were Standing-trees more
than $50 feet in height, and with trunks
clear of branches to eighty feet, and more
than four feet in diameter There are many
millions of cubic feet of timber in these
forests that should be cut In order to
properly thin out the dense growth.
The report further states: There are :96
tee species mentioned in the present for
estry regulations, and we know of fifty
more growing in these islands, and each
week we learn of still other species 1t Is
safe to state that the number of tree
species found in these islands will be nearer
500 than 400, great majority of these I'M
doubtedly hard woods. The edges of the
great forests have been scarcely cut away
and fifty valuable hard woods have been
given to the world, the full value of which
species has not been demonstrated as yet.
There Is great variety of valuable gum
rubber and gutta percha trees, but the
trade has been ruined by the Chinese in
their efforts at adulteration and other
fraudulent practices. We have list of
seventeen dye woods, the revenue from
which, If properly exploited, should pay the
cost of the forestry service. A book has
been written by Tavera on the medicinal
qualities of the native plants. many trees
being mentioned as possessing valuable
medicinal qualities.
"The Wang Yang tree abounds here, its
blossoms producing oil which is the
base of many renowned perfumes. Quite
a revenue Is gained by those owning the
trees The west slope of the Island of
RomblOn is mass of cocoanut palms from
the waters edge to the mountain top, every
tree bringing in a yearly revenue of from
81 to 81, and when 1t Is realized that 400
and even 500 such trees may be grown on
an acre. one is struck with the wisdom of
that former commander of Romblon who
insisted upon such extensive planting of
these trees. In all parts of the southern
islands these trees seem to grow without
any effort or care.
Country without Roads.
There are no forest roads or driveways
in these islands that are worth mentioning.
1t will be impossible to exploit these forests |
until roads are constructed, rivers i'm
proved and harbors provided. The methods |
at present are exceedingly slow and ex-
pensive. The tree is felled far from any |
ROAD and is hauled out very slowly by one
or more caribous, many tracts being left |
untouched, due to the difficulty of the land |
and the lack of roads. The natives are not |
skilled lumbermen, and while paid small
wage, are by no means cheap labor when |
consider the cost Of telling and hauling
cubic foot of timber to the shipping
point.
THE most interesting statistics from FOR |
eign forestry reports are those published
by Germany. showing the increase in The
value of forest lands as the character Of
the roads improves. Good stone roads
have made the German forest lands worth |
and these same lands with standing timber
less in quantity and quality than We find
at present on many large areas in these
islands. There will be some difficulty in
the construction of roads in such places as
Cagayan, Min6oro and Paragua, but these !
difficulties can be overcome. Stone IS
plentiful and available, but labor is scarce,
and such as we have Is poor and uncertain. |
This latter will be the one great difficulty.
When that Is solved, engineers and money |
will make the Philippine forests yield a
revenue that is undreamed of today by
the residents of these islands.
There are no pure forests of any one |
tree species; dozens of varieties grow in
each forest but rarely more than three or |
four trees Of one variety are found grouped |
together, that any lumberman looking |
find it impossible to cut that and no other, |
but would be obliged to procure the same |
by purchase from men operating the differ
ent sections
In conclusion the report says: From the |
above it is evident that there is very large |
area Of very valuable public forest lands |
in these Islands; that these forests are as |
rule not at present available, due to the |
lack of roads and skilled lumbermen; the |
present personnel have not been We'll trained |
and have never practiced scientific forestry; |
the public forest lands are unsurveyed and |
the amount of standing timber unknown |
AfrO-American Council Day.
Afro-American Council day will be cels-
brated tomorrow by the Second Baptist |
Lyceum, which meets at $3.50 pm. at the 7
church on Sd street between H and streets
northwest. Bishop Alexander Walters, /
president of the National Afro-American +
Council will deliver an address on ''rhe
Need of Christian Citizenship" Among
those who are expected to be present and I
make brief remarks are T. Thomas Fortune /
ortr lodi nd - T.