The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-02-28

IN PHILIPPINES

IN ] IlIIII ! UILU
Prof Charles V. Piper, Of the de-
partment of agriculture, has just re-
turned to Washington after thirteen
months in the Orient. Six months of
this time was spent in the Philippines
investigating for the Philippine gov.
eminent the possibilities of procuring
forage there for the use of army and
other horses. Heretofore all of this
forage has been imported from the
United States and Australia. The ex-
periments conducted by Prof. Piper
leave no doubt that excellent hay can
be produced in the Philippines on ir-
rigated lands during the dry season,
especially in Luzon. Both Rhodes and
Sudan grass thrive wonderfully, and
both make excellent hay. The investi-
cations have also shown that unhulled
rice can be used to replace a large
part of the oats used as horse feed
Prof Piper is greatly impressed
with the agricultural possibilities of
the islands. In speaking on this topic,
he said:
Most Fertile in World.
The Philippines are probably the
most fertile tropical islands in the
world. They certainly are far richer
in this respect than Java, which has
| long been heralded as the richest
tropical island Negros and Minda-
mao are undoubtedly the most fertile
islands in the archipelago, but none
of them can be called poor. In alb
solute contrast to the recently pub
lished opinion of an eminent Amer
lean historian, l doubt if there is an
equal area anywhere in the United
States capable of yielding as much
agricultural produce as these islands.
Notwithstanding these great natural
riches, the agriculture of the islands
can not be called prosperous, and on
the whole it is crude The principal
agricultural products at present are
hemp, sugar, cocoanuts, tobacco, and
rice, but the total amount of these
products is but small fraction of the
possibilities OF the 6O,OOO,OOO acres
of land in the archipelago at least
two-thirds is arabic, but only about
100000 acres is in cultivation.
Big Sugar Future.
In sugar alone the Philippines could
easily produce enough to supply the
American demand Up until now all
of the sugar manufactured in the
Philippines has been with small and
crude mills, the output being a cheap,
brown sugar containing much molas-
ses Owing to the crudeness of the
mills only about one-half OF the juice
is obtained from the cane. Further
more, the cane grown is very small
variety, and on rich lands is often
stunted by thick planting and by
growing other plants between the
rows, as most of the mills cannot
crush large cane.
Many Promising Crops.
OF copra, or dried cocoanut, the
Philippines produce one-third of the
worlds supply, but owing largely tc
careless preparation it commands the
lowest price of any. Yet the cocoanut
industry is undoubtedly the mos
prosperous feature of Philippine agri
culture at present, and is capable o
enormous extension.
The tobacco produced in the Phil
ippines is of peculiar flavor, for whicl
one must acquire a taste. The grow
ing and curing of the crop is YER
, crude. Under government encourage
ment one native grew crop from Sc
lected seed, sprayed the plants, an
8 cured the tobacco in a special hous
. he built, obtaining a product of whic
" any farmer might be proud.
Manila hemp is a crop of which tn
Philippines produce a monopoly, an
for certain purposes no satisfactor
substitute has been found Whereve
substitute can be used, as in bin
ing Irvine, manila hemp is fast losiu
the market, especially to sisal hem
F" The reasons for this are the Cruz
methods of preparing the fiber, whic
= results in an exceedingly variab
product, which not only makes it u
p satisfactory to the manufacturer, b
the native grower gets only fra
a ton of the value of his product.
OF rice, there is little to be sal
~ except that the Philippines do n
81 produce enough for their own co
~ sumption, whereas they should pl
duce a great surplus for export T
avtaneiDn of irrigation will enable