The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-08-02
PHILIPPINE CORRESPONDENCE.
cases. the sO-ealled demoralizing ef-
fects OF the Philippine climate.

cases, the so-ealled demOralizing ei
fects OF the Philippine climate.
., Agricultural Lands.
There are some 5000. 900 acres o
agricultural lands in these Islands
only 100000 acres OF which are sub
jet to individual ownership. Ths
price OF this land is fixed at per acre
and can be readily secured owing tC
the fact that the Government is more
than anxious to see il under cultiva
ton. The price of land suitable for
hemp cultivation. if purchased from
private parties. is from 81 to 50 per
acre. Lads under cultivation costs
about $3.50 per acre. Forest land will
cost about So per acre.
Timber Lands.
/ The forest area of the Philippines,
including all public and private wood
lands. is estimated to be 48,113,920
acres. The area of private wood
lands held under valid titles is far
below 100000 acres. The timber
cut and marketed in these Islands
during the past year has been entirely
insufficient to meet the local demand.
1t has been necessary to import mil
lions OF feet of American pine and
redwood and Of timber from Borneo
and Australia.
When one considers that there are
over forty million acres of tropical
forests, and that the species now
listed number six hundred and sixty
five, he begins to see what this wealth
must be. But he needs to live here
for a time, to push his way through
forest where three or four trees are
growing on the space needed by one
for its full development, to see trees ;
of the most magnificent hardwood ris- .
ing eighty feet without limb and
tossing their topmost twigs a hundred
and fifty feet about his head, before
he gets any clear idea Then he may
wander into some unpretentious house
and find a circular table with a top of
a single piece cut of the most beauti
Pul wood, five or even six feet in d.
ameter, or another, perhaps five feet
wide and twenty long, also one single
piece.
Grazing Lands.
Most magnificent grazing lands ,
sxist in Mindanao, rolling uplands and !
evel prairie lands, although so far as
abundance and quality of the grasses
there apparently no diff
erence, the same species growing on s
he prairies as on the hills. These c
re fine-stemmed, fine-leaved grasses, /
which, in the United States, would be Il
known as bunch" grasses. t
The water supply is especially to be a
oted. In the numerous mountain t
treams the water is perfectly pure t.
nd as clear as crystal, except inn
1ediatly following a heavy rain. II
'hese streams, during the rainy t
eason, like the great rivers, are sub a
ect to great and sudden rise and fall; o
nd from a juite babling brook a q
tream may change in a few minutes fl
ito a raging mountain torrent; yet, A
here the mountains are heavily tim t.
cred, the rise and fall are more grad 81
al and do not go to extremes. A
Rice Culture. Z.
The cultivation of rice in the Phil w
'pines is in many respects similar If
that practiced in China, Japan, h,
Ida and other Oriental countries. h,
he labor of a Filipino in the rice
elds of the Philippines has been es-
mated at $40 gold and board per an :,
Inn. The amount OF land which he
in cultivate is two and one-half acres,
Gliding fifteen hundred pounds OF -,
lddy. In Texas or Louisiana, on the
her hand, a iaborer receives 5000
I'D and board, but he cultivates !,
ghty acres OF land, and the cultiva-
On is so superior that with irriga. =
IN water along he produces 100000 -
FUNDS Of paddy. In short he re- y
ives ten times the wages, but he n,
oduces one hundred times more rice
an the FILIPINO laborer. -
There is no reason why scientific
ethods OF culture and modern agri- ma
itural implements sAouid not make'Eo ~
Q Philippines one OF the leading rice ar
untries OF the world. It was not Co