The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-03-26
PHILIPPINE PRODUCTS.
Agricultural Resources Of the Islands
A. Viewed by an Expert Of
the Government.

Qcuct Deeu FURNISHED ludu tudb SoA-
tanned in letter addressed recently to
the secretary of agriculture by David
G. Fairchild, an agricultural explor-
er" attached to the department Of ag-
riculture, says the Washington Star.
Reviewing the agricultural prospects
OF the islands, Mr.. Flirchild says:
''The cultivation OF tea is a possibility,
but the profits will depend largely on
the price OF labor, which has been grad
ually rising since the American occu-
patton of the islands. Coffee of re-
puted excellent quality was once
grown in the islands. but the trees were
destroyed by an insect pest, Of which
DR.. Garci informs me, the life history
has been, at least in part, studied out.
Good grades of cotton have been pro-
duced and the culture Of Sea Island and
Egyptian varieties has been suggested
as likely to yield profitable returns and
form an article of export. 1t is prob
able that some of the many islands
possess a climate especially suited for
cotton culture The small island OF
Lombolx, in the Dutch East Indies, it il
said, grows good quality of cotton for
export, and its culture is entirely in the
hands of the natives.
"The Manila hemp industry is still .
monopoly, although the plant grows
well in other tropical regions and could
be easily cultivated in the Straits Set
Elements, according to DIR. Ridley Of
AZ no<~ IL <~o - -. - . CT ~. por> A.
cording to information furnished by
one Of the largest hemp exporters in
Manila the methods of culture are those
practiced with any semi-wild plant, it
being grown over large area Of forest
land, especially in the regions about
Albay. The problem of increased pro-
duction Is not the cultivation of more
hemp plants to given area, but the
invention Of a machine of large ca
pacity for extracting the fiber. With
the old hand machines, which require
only three men TO operate them and
are carried on the heads Of the opera
tors into the forests Of the hemp plant,
the extraction is done so slowly that
for every stalk that is cut and stripped
into fber af least five are left to decay
In the field.
"The manager Of one of the largest
tobacco factories. for which Manila
is famous. asserted that the quality
Of the leaf received from the native
growers was inferior to what it had
been 20 years ago. and, although 1t
was well known that the original seed
was imported from Havana, no late
Importations Of good tobacco seed
from Cuba had been made. The dis
tribution by the government of 4
large quantity of the best Cuban and
Sumatra seed is an experiment well
worth making and the careful selec.
tion Of the seed from the best Ma
nila-grown strains is a matter OF
prime Importance. considering the
very large dividends paid by the SUI
matra companies out of sales made
principally in America and the possi-
bility of there being produced in the
Philippines cigar wrapper equal to
the famous Sumatran.
There is a great variety Of native
made fabrics which are most d.
aphanous in nature. These are woven
in plain but pretty patterns, and are
so universally worn by the natives
of even the poorest classes that they
give the market scenes an appear
ance of neatness and bright color
not met with elsewhere In the east.
These fabrics are made from the Ma
Mia hemp fiber and that of the ma
tive pineapple and are often shot
with threads of bright-colored silk.
Though of harsh texture and
Objectionable when worn next the
skin, they are easily washed and
starched, and are of great durability.
The Chinese of Singapore are said to
pay big prices for this pineapple
cloth. OF which they MAKE their loose
comfortable jackets. It Is possible
that improved machinery and an in
creasing Chinese demand may make
the manufacture Of these Manila fab
RIGS a payi~ e industry. As yet the
fiber Of the pine il obtained chiefly
by means of primitive machines
worked by hand.
"The prospects for fobber cultiva-
tion are as yet uMexpiored. There
may be localities where the Para
rubber trees can be grown and will
yic.d paying amounts Of rubber, but
the occurrence of pronounced dry
season on most Of the islands will
probably reduce the flow. as IL does
in Ceylon. below the point Of profit
able cultivation. An early survey OF
the islands with this in view should
be made and experimental groves set
out II necessary. The employment
Of an expert acquainted with rubber
cultivation might save the colony
much time and money. as he could
point out The regions in which the
rubber trees would be most likely to
succeed"
To cure Cold IN One Day
4.