The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-04-28
fspecIal to The Palladium

tSpcCld1 TO Inc HdlidQluInJ
CAMPBELLSTOWN Ohio. April 2S.
Roads in the Philippine Islands ex-
eel those in Preble county, Ohio. ac-
cording to statement made at the
Jackson Grange meeting Thursday
night by James O'Hara. veteran civil
service educator, who is home from
the Philippines for a visit.
Mr.. O'Hara has been in the islands
for 81 years and in point of service is
the oldest educator in the Philippines
He is stationed at point about 20
miles from Manila on the island of
Luzon, to which station he will return
after his vacation.
Credit for the difference was given
by the speaker, to the system of main
tenance. With good roads once estab-
lished every care is taken to prevent
deterioration. Each kilometer (about
five-eighths of mile) of road or ca
mino, is given over to a caminero or
road supervisor, who is solely respon-
sible for its condition. These road
makers may be seen all day working
with wheelbarrows, materials and
tools. repairing holes, maintaining the
grades and drainage. The system is
not as expensive as it would be in
this country on account of the cheap
ness of labor, and the camineros also
are held responsible for the road
expenses.
Slow Flowing Speed
A blowing speed of one and a half
miles to two miles an hour Is usual
with the Philippine draught animal,
the carabao or water buffalo, said the
speaker, in talking on agriculture of
he islands. In addition to the slow
speed, the plowman may be inconven-
fenced at any time in hot weather,
by the carabao's sudden decision to
seek a mud bath in a deep wallow,
taking the pillow and plowman with
him.
A walking pillow, turning a four inch
furrow, instead of the Ia to 16 inch
pillow common in the cornbelt, and
guided by a single handle. is the com
mon implement. Riding plows arc
never seen and tractors are used only
on the largest haciendas or farms
No cultivation is given the growing
crops and no fertilization is ever
necessary. the native soil fertility be
Ing unimpaired as yet.
Great Rice Country
Horses are never used as beasts OF
burden except for hauling and even
for this are to be seen only in the 1arg
est cities. said Mr. O'Hara.
Rice, hemp, and tobacco, with CO
coanut gathering and sugar making
are the principal agricultural pursuits
of the islands, said Mr.. 'O'Hara. Rice
is sown in seed beds and the plants are
later transplanted to fields which have
been worked UP into mud beds. Rice
Is the largest crop of the islands and is
the bread stuff of all Orientals.
Native sugar mills are very waste
full. losing 55 per cent of the juice
which is pressed out by huge rollers
turned by sweeps drawn by carabaos
American mills are being set up, and
have effected a great saving in some
sections
Warning against too much education
was sounded by the speaker, who ex
planned that to allow a few to get too
far ahead of the masses would only
result in giving them power to the dis
advantage of the common people. 1t i!
more desirable to bring all to the same
level slowly, he stated, and thus enable
them to work out their adjustment!
mutually.
No Wire Fences
There are no tile drains and no wir,
fences in the islands, said Mr.. O'Hara
The Filipinos are mud farmers and 70
The few fences around garden patches
bambo stockades are built, the ban
boos used being as much as seve
inches in diameter This plant usefu
for food, implements, house framin