The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-02-02

have nothing at all to compare with this
and many others of the Philippine hard
WOODS 1t is really a wonder that some
Of our wealthy men, to whom cost is
secondary considers non. do NOT use them
In building and furnishing. They are
without question the most ornamental
woods In the world. admitting of the
highest polish without the aid OF varnish.
and capable OF producing IN combination
the most beautiful effects The most
strikingiy lovely parquetry may be made
from a number OF these hardwoods in
combination An effective mirror may bs
made from tindalo. and, indeed, the ma
lives have turned Ii to that use for CEN
turtles When first cut the wood Is
light red. but grows dark with age This
process may be arrested at any stage by
subjecting 1t to solution of salt
/ have mentioned but a few Of tie
great variety of valuable wholesome of
them quite unique In charac5er-that are
TO be found in profusion throughout the
Philippine forests There are many other
important forest products which space
will only permit Of my touching upon
lightly ut the present time
The worlds supply Of gurta percha
able TO keep pace with the constantly In
creasing demand arising from the extern
sion Of electric cable systems The tree
Is found only In the Malay Peninsula,
Borneo, Sumatra and the southern por-
ton of the Philippines archipelago.
Everywhere the method of extracting the
gum Is ruinous. and If continued must re-
suit in extinguishing the already made
have been in the habit Of securing this
product By the most simple. BIT at the
same time the most destructive and
wastefui process imaginable. a tree 10
felled and ringed so that the milk flows
from II at several points. where cocoanut
shells are placed to receive it. By this
method a tree will not yield more than
two pounds, which Is about 10 per cent.
of its capacity. The output Is sold to
Chinese traders. who have a monopoly Of
the business. and by them shipped to
Singapore, the great depot for the worlds
supply of gutta percha. Practically the
entire production passes through this
point. where upwards Of 30o.0oo,Ooo
pounds hasS been received In the past so
years. As the method described above 10
in its essential features practiced In all
gutta percha regions, the receipts IN ques-
ton would account for the destruction OF
at least 100000 trees. but II Is
probable that these figures fall very
far short Of the actual fact The InsHlar
Bureau Of Forestry is taking measures to
preserve the gutta percha and rubber
trees The latter are not now present
In q marketable condition. but as the
plant grows luxuriantiy In the southern
islands it is believed that rubber cuitiva-
ton will In time become a profitable COM
mercial enterprise.
The numerous varieties Of bamboo and
bejuco. or rattan, and several Of the
grasses have a distinctly commercial value
In all oriental countries. Indeed, a good
market for bejuco might be found in the
United States, where large quantities Of
rattan are consumed annually.
The forests of the Philippines yield
numerous gums, resins, dyes and other
extracts, some OF which are turned to ac-
count, but the greater part wasted. Rich
returns will some day be derived from
these by-products when our people awake
to the possibilities of the enormous latent
wealth in these vast areas of woodland