(d) By the introduction, production, and distribution of improved seeds and plants; (e) By the control and eradication of diseases, insects, and other pests injurious to cultivated plants; (f) By the operation of a system of demonstration and agricultural extension work; (g) By the collection of agricultural statistics; and (h) By the publication and distribution of bulletins, circulars, and other printed matter. For the furtherance of these ends the Bureau has established and maintained experiment stations, farms, and stock farms for practical agricultural instruction. Some of these stations are under the joint operation and control of the Bureau and the provinces and municipalities. Another activity of the Bureau of Agriculture is the organization of rural-credit associations for the purpose of lending money to small farmers. The first rural-credit association was inaugurated on October 19, 1916. There were in 1920 more than five hundred associations distributed throughout the provinces. Some of these associations have been granted loans by the Philippine National Bank in amounts equal to their paid-in capital. These loans are usually made at 8 per cent per annum, and the associations can, in turn, lend to borrowers at 10 per cent. In the fight against rinderpest, the Bureau has been experimenting in the immunization of cattle and the use of serum. Another aid to farmers against animal diseases is provided by the insurance of work animals (Act 2573, as amended). Insurance agents are now appointed to insure animals at a nominal sum so that if the animals die their owners may have money to replace them. There is usually an Agricultural Congress held in Manila every year, composed of representative farmers from all parts of the Islands. It is convened for the purpose of discussing matters pertaining to agriculture and of acquainting the government with the needs of the farmers. 186. The Bureau of Forestry. The Bureau of Forestry is charged with the preservation and administration of the forests of the Philippine Islands. It also supervises the work of lumber mills, by seeing that the owners do not violate the law, and that they live up to the concessions granted them by the government. Before an application for a homestead, lease, or sale of public lands is decided by the Bureau of Lands, it is submitted to the Bureau of Forestry to see if the land is fit for agricultural purposes or not and to make certain that it is not timber land. The Bureau of Forestry aids in the location of these applications so as to avoid conflicting claims. The agents of the Bureau of Forestry, who are scattered all over the Philippines, are naturally the men best qualified to locate the different claims to the public domain of the Philippines. The Bureau of Forestry coöperates with the Bureau of Internal Revenue in securing the payment on forest products, and in the enforcement of the internal revenue law which refers to forests and forest products. The Bureau may establish, with the approval of the department head, communal forests for the particular use of the inhabitants of any municipality or municipal district. 187. The Bureau of Lands. The Bureau of Lands is in charge of the administration of laws relative to public agricultural and mineral lands and the Friar lands. It also conducts surveys of the public domain, cadastral surveys, and official surveys of private property. The cadastral survey is instituted to settle all claims to the land within a municipality. When the survey is finished, the records are sent to the Court of First Instance for final decision. One important activity of the Bureau of Lands refers to the granting of homesteads and the leasing and sale of public lands. According to the new Public Land Law, a homesteader may apply for twenty-four hectares, but he shall not be entitled to a patent therefor until he can prove that he has occupied and cultivated the land applied for and has established his residence on the land, in the municipality where the land is located, or in an adjoining municipality. He must prove these facts by affidavits known as final proofs. A payment of twenty pesos is required as a fee. Before a patent can be issued the land must be surveyed by a surveyor. Any citizen of lawful age of the Philippine Islands or of the United States, any corporate body organized in the Philippines, and any other corporation or association of which at least 61 per cent of the capital stock or of any interest in said capital stock belongs wholly to citizens of the Philippine Islands or of the United States and which is organized and constituted under the laws of the Philippine Islands or of the United States or of any State thereof and authorized to transact business in the Philippine Islands, may purchase or lease a tract of public land. The maximum area which an individual can buy is 100 hectares, while corporations can either purchase or lease 1024 hectares. Individual applicants can also lease 1024 hectares. The lease usually extends over a period of twenty-five years, after which time it may be renewed. The lessee shall pay an annual rental of not less than three per cent of the appraised value of the land. The maximum price of public land has been fixed at twelve pesos per hectare. A native of the Philippine Islands can also acquire a free patent for a tract of public land not exceeding twenty-four hectares in extent provided that he has continuously occupied and cultivated either by himself or through his prede cessors in interest said tract since July 4, 1907, but the filing of free patent applications must be made prior to December 31, 1928. No fees are required, and the land will be surveyed at the expense of the Government.1 188. The Bureau of Science. - The Bureau of Science exists to make investigations, conduct researches, do work of a scientific nature, and publish the results of such studies. The work of the Bureau of Science may be divided into research and routine. Its research work consists of scientific studies and investigations in chemistry, biology, zoology, anthropology, and mineralogy. It publishes the Journal of Science, containing the results of its scientific investigations. The larger volume of the work of the Bureau consists of the scientific examination of materials of all kinds submitted by the other bureaus and departments, such as imported 1 There have been received in the Bureau of Lands since its organization to December 31, 1920, more than 75,000 homestead applications. Of this number about 20,000 have been cancelled or rejected, while about 2,500 have been patented. The area of the public lands applied for through homestead is about 1,000,000 hectares, and of this extent more than 30,000 hectares are now privately owned through the patents issued. During the same length of time more than 5,000 sales applications have been filed, covering an area of approximately 136,000 hectares. More than 2,000 of these applications have been rejected or cancelled, while about 900 applications have been patented. These patents cover approximately 15,000 hectares. About 1,900 lease applications have been also received by the Bureau of Lands during this period. Approximately 900 of these applications have been cancelled, while only 117 have been executed. These contracts cover only about 42,000 hectares in spite of the fact that approximately 10,000,000 hectares have been applied for. Almost 24,000 free patent applications, which cover about 95,000 hectares have been filed. About 5,300 of these applications have been cancelled or rejected, and approximately 8,000 patents have been issued to applicants. These patents cover approximately 24,000 hectares. The Bureau of Lands derives an income of about 200,000 on account of homestead fees, sales, installments, interest on the third payments, leases, rentals, and other miscellaneous collections. drugs from the Bureau of Customs, human excreta from the Philippine Health Service, and soil samples from the Bureau of Agriculture. The public generally requests information from the Bureau on scientific subjects, and consultations with mining prospectors and operators are held in the Bureau. The Bureau manufactures serum for the use of the different bureaus and departments, such as the serum for vaccination, rinderpest inoculation, etc. It maintains several collections of natural history, such as insects, birds, snakes, etc. It has also under its jurisdiction the Aquarium in Manila containing live specimens of fishes. 189. The Weather Bureau. The Weather Bureau has long been a scientific institution of international standing. It was founded by the Jesuits in 1865 and began work in conjunction with the Ateneo de Manila. Since its foundation it has been publishing bulletins and other works on seismography, climatology, meteorology, and astronomy; and has taken part in many scientific congresses of the world. It has produced notable scientists, like Father Faura and Father Algue. The Weather Bureau maintains a system of weather forecasts and storm warnings, which are sent to different ports of the Philippines and the public press. Typhoon signals are hoisted in Manila and the big harbors of the Philippines to warn people of impending storms. IV. THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND 190. Functions of the Department of Commerce and Communications. All those activities of the Government which concern the development of commerce and the construction and maintenance of means of communication have been placed under the Department of Commerce and Com |