Evening journal., 1901-03-09
CARING FOR TREES
in PHILIPPINES
All The Important Forests TO
be Developed
They Cover lO,OOO,O0O Acres and
Are Greater in Value Than For
eStS Of India


partment OF Agriculture has selected
from its working force two trained
lumberman with some knowledge OF
forestry 10 be sent to the Philippine
Islands in compliance with a cable re-
quest OF the Taft Philippine COmmis.
sion. The persons selected for this
work are Grant Bruce, formerly a
State forester in New York, and
Edward Hamilton. Both Of these men
ara expert lumbermen with some
training in forestry, and have been se-
lected in view of their especial fitness
for the Philippine work.
A bureau of forestry was egtab-
llished in the Philippines in April, 1900
with Captain George =. Ahern. Ninth
United States Infantry. in charge
The work of this bureau has con-
vinced the TAFT Commission OF the
great Importance of the timber lands
as a natural source OF wealth and OF
che necessity of putting the bureau on
a substantial footing and handling
these woodlands under scientific forest
methods. Furthermore, it IS evident
| that the cutting Of timber under prop
ler regulations will provide a large and
increasing annual revenue 10 The eOy-
lUnment IL has been found necessary
TO permit the cutting of timber TO sup
lply the present pressing needs, but
lcare has been talen at the same time
that the cutting should be done Il "a
manner that would work no injury 10
the future growth OF the forests. These
considerations Ted the commission
to cable to Washington for trained
lforesters to assist in putting the ser
vice on a more satisfactory footing.
Under the Spanish administration
the timber lands OF the Philippine Is
lands were in charge of a Department
lcf Forestry which was organized IN
1868. The personnel Of this depart
lment was made up Of expert foresters
lrangers, clerks. draughtsmen. etc, the
highest officials being selected from
the Spanish corps OF engineers.
After Captain Ahern was appointed
he received authority TO employ a
lsmall number of foresters. rangers
and clerks; by September his Office
force had been doubled. in order tc
handle. the work of the bureau prop
erly The call for activity on the part
lOf those in charge OF the Bureau OF
Forestry was emphasized at once bs
1.-The lumber famine IN Manila and Othel
Iimrc.Aant towns, owing TO the de-
lstruction Of buildings in the war, anl
! 1.-THE increased demand for good dwell
, ing houses resulting from th'
, large influx Of Americans. 70.
! these reasons the telling o
: ltrd-i and the marketing OF lum
Der had to begin soon after the os
adjustment OF the bureau Captali
: Ahern is IN constant communicative
with the Division OF Forestry. for as
sistance and cooperation with ih'
Philippine Bureau of Forestry.
The work OF the bureau was con
fined for some months 10 the Island o
Luzon. but recently has been carrie,
to other points in the archipelago
The present plan Of the bureau Is q
cover all the important forests as tn
development of the working foro
will permit. One great drawbacl
which is retarding the work Of tn
bureau, is the lack OF capable and ac
tive subordinate officials II Is diff
cult to find men familiar with the for
: est conditions and the uses of thI
woods of the Philippines, who are en-
tirely satisfactory in other respects.
. is believed that the best means Of Oh
I tanning a competent and efficient fore
is to employ new men and train then
on the ground as speedily as possible
In this work Messrs. Bruce and Ham
ilton will be able to render valuabl
assistance.
The bureau was recently organizcl
SO as to consist Of an officer in charge
an inspector, a botanist, a chief clerk
! and stenographer, a translator, lay
clerk. a record clerk, 10 assistant for
esters and 30 rangers. II Us the in
tention Of the officer in charge d
( work up a forest service on the lines O
the work carried on in the u. S. De
; lpartment Of Agriculture, through Il
Division Of Forestry. The wholdsal
destruction of timber viii be stoppec
: and the cutting VIII proceed under rec
ulati0ns looking to the future yields q
the forests. The fire question will ais
receive close attention.
Captain Ahern i'm a recent repcr
: calls attention 10 several obstacles j
d the way of immediate success in lum
: lbering in the Philippine Islands, tn
q most serious drawbacks being lack {
b lgoOd roads and skilled labor. Fores
e roads and river driveways are almos
It unknown and present methods Of lun
herring are slow and expensive. Th
IhaLND1i ne uuAoi are Aph nhilANA MNli
r, lmen. and though receiving very lO
wages, their work IS found by 4
3 lmcans chsap when one considers III
& cost Of telling and hauling a cube 70,
! of timber to the shipping point.
/ The forest lands Of the Philipp.r
!. Islands. It is estimated by CAPITAL
r Ahern. cover 100000 acrss; largl
! in extent and greater in value than II
IA forests of India. There are 1856 specs
of timber producing trees. and abol
so more species as yet unclassiaed. i
y cluded in the above list are very hal
: woods, capable Of taking a beautif
= polish; woods that resist climatic IA
huences and the attack Of white ant
n, still others that are especially suite
n for sea-piling or for use as railros
is ties. There are many varieties of tire
n producing valuable gums, oils al
h. drugs; rubber and gutta-percha al
ed abundant in MindanaO and Tawi-Taw
et while at least II dye-woods are fouI
NJ within the limits of the archipelag
lis Cocoanut palms grow without care
N. lcultivation throughout the island
~ VFtara oil manu- uoftfnffpa