The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-07
TEE PHILIPPINE FORESTS
Two Expert LumbeFmen to BE Sent
TO the Islands.

The Taft Commission Requests Aid
of the Covers:rsseF.t in Promoting
aud Protecting n Great Industry in
the Far-ofT American Prosecutions.
The Division OF Forestry of the United
States Department OF Agriculture has Sc
lectcd from its working force two trained
Iumbermen with some knowledge Of for
estTy. to he sent to the Philippine Isl
ands IN compliance with cable request
Of the Taft Philippine Commission The
persons selected for this work are Grant
Bruce, formerly Il State forester in New
York, and Edward Hamilton. Both of
these me1 are expert Iumbermen with
some training in forestry. and have been
selected in view of their special fitness
for the Philippine work.
4 bureau OF forestry was established
in the Philippines in April 1903. with
Caps. George p Ahern. Ninth United
States Infantry, II charge The work Of
this bureau has convinced the Taft Com
mission Of the great Importance OF the
timber lands as Il natural source OF wealth
and OF the necessity of putting the bU-
reIu on 4 substantial footing and hand
ling these woodlands under scientific for
est methods. Furthermore. it is evident
that the cutting of timber under proper
regulations will provide a large and in
CreaSiug annual revenue TO the Govern
nent. It has been found necessary to
permit the cutting of timber to SUPPLY
the present pressing needs. but care has
been taken at the same time that the
cutting should be done in manner that
would work injury to the future
growth OF the forests. These considera-
Washington for trained foresters to as
siSt in putting the service on 4 more sat
lsfact0ry footing
Under the Spanish administration the
timber lands Of the Philippine Islands
were in charge Of a department of forestry
which was organized in 1863 The person
neI OF this department was made ZIP of ex-
pert foresters. rangers, clerks draughts-
men. etc. the higher officials being select
ed from the Spanish Corps of Engineers
After Captain Ahern was appointed he
received authority to employ q small num-
Der OF foresters rangers. and clerks; by
September his force had been doubled, in
order to handle the work OF the bureau
properly The call for activity on the part
Of those IN charge Of the Bureau Of For
estry was emphasized At once ny the lum-
Der famine in Manila and other important
towns. owing 10 the destruction of build
fngs IN the war. and the increased demand
for good dwelling houses resulting from
the large influx Of Americans. For these
reasons the Telling Of trees and the mar
keting of lumber had 10 begin soon after
the establishment of the bureau. Captain
Ahern is in constant communication with
the Philippine Bureau Of Forestry.
The work Of that bureau was confined
for some months n the Island Of Luz0l
but recently has been carried 70 other
points IN the archipelago. The present
plan Of the bureau is 10 cover AL the i'm
portaDt forests as the DEVELOPMENT Of the
working force viii permit. one great
CraN back which Is retardiDg the work OF
th- bureau Is The lack OF capable and act
I've subordinate officials II Is difficult TO
nnh men familiar Hgth the forest condI-
Mons and the uses OF the woods Of the
EhlhpplneSr who are entirely satisfactory
IA other respects 1t Is believed that the
bsSt ILe~ rs OF securing competent and
efficient force is TO employ new men and
tram them on the ground as speedily as
possible In this work Messrs. Bruce and
hamilton VIII be able 10 render ValUahle
assistance.
The bureau was recently reorganized so
as TO consist Of an officer in charge, an
inspector, a botaniSt, a chief CLERK and
stenographer, translator. a law clerk a
record clerk ten assistant fOreSterS. and
thlfIY rangers 1t IS the intention of the
"Ihcer lH charge to work up a forest SEP
wee on Ine lines OF the work carried on
a
culture, through its Division of Forestrv
The wholesale destruction Of timber will /
be stopped, and the cutting viii proceed !
under regulations looking % the future /
yields OF forests. The fire question Will
also receive close attention
Captain Ahern, IN Il recent report calls !
attention to several obstacles in the way
81 immediate success in numbering in The.
philippine Islands, the most serious draw !
DECKS DelIS lack OF good roads ana skilled (
labor Forest roads and river dIive.v:lvs, /
are almost unknown. and present methods I
or numbering are Slow and expensive The /
Ldtiles'- ne Hnds, are not skilled work (
Isv+ls anu tnDCSn receiving very low wa ayes /
their work Is found by no means cheaD
when one considers the cost Of Telling and /
naHhHg cubic foot OF timber 10 the |
shipping point
The forest lands Of the PafIfapi,e |
Islands, Il is estimated b. Captai1 AEern !
cover =. t1zj.Vst acres: larger IN extent ana |
greater III value than the forests Of In [
oia- th-fe are % species Of timber-pr0- !
dGcIng trees, and about fifty more s-,sf;.z
as yet inclasSlEed- Included IN the. .4Fo.-.
list are very hard woods capable of .aL,-
ing Il beautiful polish: woods that resist
climatic Influences and the attack of
white ants still others that are especially
suited Tor sea-pIinS or for Use as rail |
ROAD ties There are many varieties oF /
trees producing valuable gums, oils. and
GfuSS- TuDDer and Sutta-percha are q bun |
daEt m AindanaO and TaWi-Tavi: while !
AT least seventeen dyeWOOds are found
WITHIN the limits Of the archipelago Co /
Co9nut palms grow without care or clII- !
ttVaTion throughout the islands Their. !
are also many varieties Of palms bamboo |
canes. and rattan which are Of CONNER
cal value and VIII afford employment |
BIr Bruce and Mr. Hamilton have
Sdlied from San Francisco for Manila o., !
the transport Indiana