New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-05
THE PHILIPPINE FORESTS.
Fifth Million Acres Of Valuable
Timber Lands Idle.


there is a scarcity of "merchantable' lumber
IN the islands. and millions of feet of Ameri-
can fir and spruce are annually imported for
the use of the Insular government and private
contractors.
There are millions of acres of forest lands in
the island of Luzon alone capable of yielding
lumber as good and suitable as that I'M
ported from America. but there is no one to
place it on the market, the small amount Of
timber now being cut consisting chiefly of hard
and veneer woods. which are exported In the
log to supply the demands of China and Other
Oriental countries.
The Pullman Palace Car Company, who I'M
ported a shipment of Philippine logs have an
nounced that the hard woods of the islands are
the best that have ever entered their works;
the Chinese and British governments are using
Philippine timber in the important engineering
works now going in China; German pianos,
with solid, instead of veneered, cases made of
Philippine woods are being assembled in Hong
Kong and Singapore, and placed on sale
throughout the orient; there is a constant
market for the higher classes of hard woods In
the United States and great demand for
lumber for building and construction purposes
in the Philippines. and despite all these oppor-
tunities. there is no legitimate exploitation of
the forests of the Philippines and the Ameri-
lumberman is reaping the profits resulting
from these peculiar conditions.
There are two principal reasons for this
anomalous state of affairs, namely:
First-At the beginning of the American ad-
ministration in the Philippines forestry laws
were enacted which proved to be so restricted
in their scope as to preclude even legitimate
development of the timber lands by large cor
poratons
second-The denseness of the tropical forests
the extreme weight of the majority Of the TIM
ber the lack of suitable labor. and the diff
cuIties of transportation. make any but large
operations precarious Investments.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WEALTHY CORPO-
RATIONS.
For the man Of large capital the strong
corporation the lumber industry in the Phlllp-
pines presents almost unlimited possibilities.
There are probably 100000 acres of forest
lands which formerly belonged to Spain and are
now the property of the United States, The de-
fective laws have been so remeded as to allow
large corporate holdings. and there are mar
kets at hand to absorb all possible production
for years to come.
The principal foreign market for the hard and
veneering woods of the Philippines is China,
whose immense southern lowlands are devoid
Of timber. The rapid growth in the building and
kindred trades in the Philippines will furnish a
market for other grades of lumber, as we'll as
for the frewood which will result from the saw
ing of the understandable lumber.
There are many species Of furniture and
veneer woods, Of which may be mentioned
ebano (ebony). nara philippine mahogany,
tindals camagon and gujo There are also
eleven varieties Of oak, cedar in abundance
teak and many new variues awaiting lnvestiga-
ton 10 bring out their value.
IMMENSE ANNUAL. GROWTH
The annual growth Of the Philippine forests
is estimated at ,5OOO 600 feet or nearly three
times the yearly cut of lumber in the United
States At the present time more than 90 per
cent of this annual growth is going to waste
from lack Of systematic exploitation.
In Luzon, where the population averages
seventy eight to the square mile, there is
timber near the centres Of population. In the
northern end Of the island. in the provinces Of
Cagayan and Isabella, there remain least
900 900 acres of valuable forests. The entire
eastern coast of .LuZon is practically a virgin
forest In Northwestern LuZon but little mer-
chantable timber is left except upon the noun
tain sides above 1000 feet, where q species of
pine OPinus insularisJ fourishes all ages being
mingled together. The maximum growth Is
nearly four feet in diameter and more than 100
feet high.
In the southwestern islands. extending from
Mindoro through Paragua more sparSely
settled region is found where the forest has
4.OOOO 600 acres Of timber land. extending from
the waters edge to the SUBMITS of the noun
tains.
The island Of Mindanao with area Of more
than 23 O00O coo acres, is almost entirely COW
cred by forest. Very little timber has been cut,
owing to the scarcity OF labor and the dis
lance to market The vast majority of the
population of this island is found in coast
towns although a large population of Moros
inhabit the Lake Lanao region. At least ten
million acres of forest on this one island.
Valuable forests are found in Leyte ana
I1on %fT0ofn1 hH md Of Moor
has been cut rather thoroughly for many years,
but now careful attention is given to the pro-
lection of this and other remaining forest areas.
CRUDE LOGGING METHODS.
Logging methods hitherto employed have
been very crude and wasteful methods of cut
ting are still evident. The Telling of timber
has been done by natives. These primitive
loggers pick out the trees which nearest ap-
proach the required specifications chop or
of carabaos haul and leave the remainder
Gotten much 60 per cent? rot in the
woods. AS a result of this system the forests
many of the islands have been cuIled back
for distance Of two to three miles from the
coast line and in the vicinity of the large in
land towns the more distant forests being
practically untouched One fine tract of timber
near Manila has been protected up to the pres
ent time by a small obstruction IN a stream
that American logging company would
have removed in a short time and at a Slight
expense.
The average haul to tidewater is short. and
a combination Of the logging railroad ana the
wire cable system viii he found the most prac-
teal and profitable method of handling the
timber of these immense forests.