The Washington times., 1901-10-08
TIMBER In THE PHILIPPINES.
Captain Ahern Tells of the Archi-
peiago's Great Resources.

Capt George p. AheTn. who has been
| in charge OF the Forestry Bureau in the
Philippines, has been in the United States
studying forest conditions for several
months past. and will leave again for
Manila next month. Captain Ahern will
be accompanied by five foresters. and two
more will follow. one in November and
the other in February.
During his stay In this country Captain
Ahern has been in conference with the
faculties and students of the forest
schools at Yale, Cornell, and Baltimore
with the object of awakening more gen
eral interest in the forest resources of
the Philippine archipelago.
Many of the people Who visit the Phil
ippines." said Captain Ahern. gain a
very meagre idea of the wealth of timber
which the islands contain. This is be
cause the ordinary visitor usually sticks
To the beaten path, traversing only those
parts where the trees have been cut for
generations
There are mors than so. 600 OoO acres of
timber land in the islands. 20,00O050 of
which is virgin forest There are at least
l.0D varieties of trees. There are fifty
varieties of Ehe rubber tree, comprising
several of the most valuable kinds, found
in the southern islands. The tree of
Sutta percha, which is almost as valuable
as its weight in gold. may also be pro-
are needed there who are capable of
taking charge of the great gutta percha
and rubber districts. There viii be call
twice year for efficient foresters for the
Philippine service The investigation
conducted by the United States is the
irst scientific investigation ever made of
the standing timber Of the Philippines"
Continuing. Captain Ahern said that he
mad Just received authority to purchase
the equipment for a timber testing lab
oratory to be set up in Manila. The lab
oratory VIII be in charge of S. r Neeiy
VINO mas been connected on several Occa-
sions with timber testing experiments
CONQUERED by the Department of Agricul-
ture. The work Of this laboratory will in
clude the investigation of the native
woods, the uses to which they can be put
and the methods of preservation.
All the timber now cut, says Captain
Ahern, Is sold to the people in Manila
who are willing to pay such high prices
that none of this supply is obtainabie in
the other provinces. 1t will be several
years before HOngkong and other Oriental
ports Will be able to secure lumber from
the Philippines, as the inhabitants of Ma
Mia and the other provinces are doing a
great deal of building
captain Ahern is very well informed on
many subjects connected with the archi-
pelagO. When asked for an expla NJ. ton of
the difficulty the Civil Service Commits
sioners are having to secure typewrfterS
and stenographers for the Philippine
civil service, ne said it was due to the
fact that stenographer could make twice
the salary offered by the Government
working for business firms in Manila. He
talked entertainingly of the military sit
uation In the islands. Like most officers
who have seen service there. he believes 1t
would be mistake to withdraw the
troops for some time to come. The Ninth
such disaster at Samar recently, was his
regiment