The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-03

Philippines. upon the timber
resources of those islands is full of
interesting information.
No attempt has yet been made to
measure accurately or even approx
mately the uncut timber in the archi-
pclago but Captain Ahern is convinced
! there is not less than 20.00oO00 acres of
public forest land alone, more prob
ably i0,000,O0O, to say nothing of mil
lions of acres of wooded area owned
by individuals, church orders or tribes.
In a recent visit TO the southern is
lands the captain saw tracts of virgin
forest where from 10000 to 10000 cubic
feet of magnificent timber per acre Was
standing, trees more than 100 feet in
height and With trunks clear of
branches for so feet and more than
feet in diameter There are many mill
lions of cubic feet of timber in these
forests that should be cut in order TO
properly thin out the dense growth.
The records show 396 tree species but
80 additional species have already been
discovered and Captain Ahern thinks
that there are not less than 800 dis
tinct kinds of trees in the Philippines,
mostly hard wood. There is 1t great
variety of valuable gum. rubber, and
gutta-percha trees There are II dye
woods, the revenue from which If prop
erly exploited should pay the cost of
the forestry service. a book has been
written on the medicinal qualities Of
hn heinz
mentioned us possessing valuable
medicinal qualities. The ylang ylang
tree abounds, it's blossoms producing
an oil which is the base of many re-
nowncd perfumes. quite Il revenue is
gained by those owning these trees.
The west slope of the island of Rom
blon is IL mass of cOcoanut palms from
| the waters edge to the mountain top,
every tree bringing in IA yearly revenue
of from 81 TO s., and 400 or 800 such
| trees may be grown on an acre.
| The forestry bureau at Manila is
compiling data as rapidly as possible
| and will soon be in condition to supply
much detailed information useful 10
! Iumberman who may wish to investi-
gate Philippine opportunities. Until
roads are opened and facilities thus af-
| forded for getting the cut timber to
market, numbering, however, will not
| be II wholesale industry but now is
lust the time, before the vandals get
| their work in, to plan for systematic
| forestry. 1t Is satisfactory to note
that Secretary Root is fully alive to
this obligation, for in his annual re-
port in relation to Philippine affairs he
says:
From time immemorlal the iuhdbi-
tunts Of the islands have been accus-
toned to resort To the public forests for
their firewood ana lumber in the eNer-
else of rights under licenses regulated
by law. The forestry laws and resu-
lationS of Suau in the Philippines,
while affording this use OF the public
forests to the people, aimed at the es-
| tablishment ot Il scientific system of
forestry similar to that which exists in
Germany and other European cuun-
tries. These regulations were, however,
not adequately enforced Upon the
military occupation OF the country by
| the American forces II was determined,
if possible, to enforce the system and
at the same time preserve ana utilize
the forests. The principle followed
under such "A system, instead of cut
ting all the trees at once and leaving
waste land, Is to cut only the full
grown trees. leaving The smaller trees
TO grow and in their turn become ready
for cutting in a neyer-endng series.
The annual growth of these forests is
estimated at l,40O,00O,0O0 cubic feet,
about three times the cut of lumber for
1900 in the entire United States. At
present more than 80 per cent. of this
annual growth is going to waste. With
proper treatment it may be made an
ineXhaustible source of wealth"
Under the regulations now in force,
| licenses limited to one year are issued