I MANILA ■ | g AND THE M 1 PHILIPPINES. J fif Interesting Information About This Great Archi- |p M Over Which Our Flag =- LL authorities agree that the ■ world. They lie J&T,. in the north h ff tropic zone and separate the ' South China Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east. The eastern shore of the prin cipal island is about 600 miles east of Hong Kong; it is the largest and most northern great islaud of the group—a group which, extending from five de- TYPEK OF MANILA VOLUNTEERS. These are business men of Manila, who | volunteered to defend the capital against the insurgents. grees to twenty degrees north latitude, and over a longitude of ten degrees to 1 117 degrees east of Greenwich, covers 1 a north and south line of 1050 miles, * and an east and west line of about 700 ' miles. It is estimated that this group com- i prises 1400 islands, of which by far < the larger part are mere islets. They 1 are of coral and volcanic 'formation, i the latter often having tremendous eruptions. The largest of them are Luzon, on the north, of nearly 41,000 i A SCENE IX ARSENAL STREET, MANILA. square miles area, and Mindanao, on the southeast, having an area of 37,456 square miles. The total area is com puted at 114,000 square miles. The chief seaport of the group is Manila, overlooking a capacious bay on the southwest shore of Luzon. The other chief ports are Iloilo and Cebu, on the islands oi the same name, inthe central part of the archi pelago. There are half a dozen other islands in the central and western part of the group, the areas of which rauge from that of Rhode Island to that of Con necticut. They are inhabited, in round numbers, by about 8,000,000 people, of whom a dwarfed race of Negritos, now driven into the moun tains and interior lands, seem to be the descendants of the aborigines. The bulk of the population is Malayan, of whom there are numerous tribes; the dirtiest aud most pagan is known as the Igorrotes, and yet they display exemplary qualities. They are one of the most important mountain tribes of Luzon and are among the population who virtually escape omnivorous Spanish taxation. They are good farmerß, laying out terraced tields on the mountains, constructing irrigation canals and having a considerable rep utation as metallurgists. Their do mestic morality is favorably in contrast with that of their neighbors. Another element of the population are the Chinese aud their Mestizos, or descendants of mixed Sinitic and native blood. There is scarcely a community on these islands where the Chinese are not fonnd. Petty trade and banking are almost entirely in their hands. Europeans aud their descendants are not numerous here, although there is a considerable breed of half-castes, derived from European fathers. It was not until the close of the six teenth century that the archipelago passed under Spanish domination, dur ing the reign of Philip 11. About the middle of the century au expedition sailed from Mexico in five ships, but - accomplished little. In 1566 Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi reached the islands and founded a Spanish settle ment at the town of Cebu, and it is in his correspondence that the name of Philippine Islands is first recorded. It was given in honor of his sovereign. Under this monarch nil ecclesiastical organization, principally of monastic orders, was established. The history of these islands during the nineteenth century has been one of oppression, restrictions on com merce and ferocious, taxation, in which the ecclesiastics used their influence for the support of the Spanish sov ereignty. The last revolt broke out in 1896. The conspiracy was discov ered before the day appointed for the rising, and the plans of the insurrec tionists were disconcerted. Yet when the authorities proceeded lo arrest those known to be involved the rebels mustered in force, amounting to sev eral thousand, but were dispersed when they offered battle in the neigh borhood of Manila. The insurgents established themselves in the province of Cavite, on the south shore of Manila Bay, eight miles southwest of the port of Manila, and held it until the arri val of 25,000 reinforcements from Spain and of a considerable naval fleet, which enabled the government to suppress them. Here was the scene of the bat tle of the Ist of May, 1898, between the American Commodore Dewey, with seven vessels of war and two transports, and the Spauish Admiral Montijo, with ten armored vessels, in which the liatter was disastrously de feated. In the inaccessible mountainous parts of the islands there are still un subdued savages. In the last census returns the number of natives not sub jected to the civil government and paying no tribute is given as 002,853, while the number of natives paying tribute is returned as 5,501,356. *The latest records of the Philadel phia commercial museum furaish these statistics: The public revenue of the island is about 53,000,000, of which the larger part is raised from direct taxes, poll taxes, customs, monopolies and lot teries. The chief articles of produce are sugar, hemp, tobacco, coffee and copra. The foreign trade is confined to the ports of Manila, Iloilo, Cebu and .Tamboanga. The climate of the Philippines varies little from that of other moun tainous tropical countries. The range of the thermometer during the year is from a little over sixty degrees to about ninety. The year may be di vided into three seasons; the first, cold and dry, commences in Novem ber; the second, warm but still dry, commences in March, the greatest heat being experienced from April to the end of May, and the third, which is excessively wet, continues from June to the middle of November. Generally speaking, the natives are mild and amiable, predisposed to re ligious observances, extremly super stitious and very hospitable. Those of Batangas, Cagayan and Southern Ilocos are better aud more industrious la borers than those of the other prov inces. During their youth they work with energy and a certain mental vigor, but on reaching more advanced age lapse into indolence, which is one of their greatest defects. The women are averse to idleness, have a spirit of enterprise and often PHILIPPINE NATIVES. eu gage >n various trades with suc cess. They are economical and sac rifice themselves cheerfully for those to whom they are attached. Before the days of Spanish rule there was considerable commercial in tercourse between the Philippines and China and Japan, but this, which would naturally have developed enor mously if tho Spanish trade between Manila and America had been left free, wat interrupted and at times almost completely stopped by absurd restric tions devised to secure to Spain a monopoly of the American trade. For 11 A PHILIPPINE MALAY BEAtTTI'. a long period only a single galleon, and that under government super vision, was allowed to proceed yearly from Manila to Acapulco, the value of the cargo each way being restricted within a prescribed sum. Direct trade from Europe via the Cape of Good Hope commenced in 1764; but, as if the exclusion from it of all but Spanish ships was not sufficient, in 1785 a monopoly of this commerce was bestowed on the Royal Company of the Philippines. With the close of the eighteenth century a certain amount of liberty began to be conced ed to foreign vessels. The first Eng lish commercial house was established in Manila iu 1809, and in 1834 the monopoly of tho Royal Company ex pired. Manila remained the only port for forfeigu trade till 1842, wlieu Cebu was also opened. Jamboanga (Min danao), Iloilo (Pauay), Sual (Luzon), Legazpi or Albany (Luzon) and Ta cloban (Leyte) are now in the same category, but only Manila, Iloilo and Cebu have proved of real importance, as they are the only ports where for eign-bound vessels have liitheito load ed. The exports from the United States to the Philippines have always been very insignificant, although our im- s ports from the islands have often reached large proportions. The prin cipal articles exported from this coun try to the Philippines are flour, petrol eum, leather goods, iron and steel, etc. Imports from the Philipiues are chiefly sugar and hemp. The foreign trade of the Philippines has always been subject to great fluc tuations. The insecurity arising un- j der the Spanish administration, and j the consequent dissatisfaction of the I native population, together with con- j stantly recurring insurrections, have j prevented these islands from develop- , ing the riches with which nature has | bountifully endowed them. Gold, | sulphur and large deposits of excellent j steaming coal are widely distributed over the country, and an intelligent | government, coupled with enterprise j iu business and humanity of spirit, j could rapidly turn this fertile region into a source of great wealth for man kind. Witch Wreaths. A remarkable object illustrating a popular survival of the belief in witch craft has just been presented to the i museum of the University of Pennsyl vania by Professor William Romaine I Newbold. It consists of a matted ring of chicken feathers, about three inches in diameter, described as a "witch wreath." It was socured by Dr. George B. Kline, of Pittsburg,. who : gave it to Dr. Newbold, who irans- \ ferred it to the museum. A resident of Pittsburg who had j been ill for several years, died in .Tuly, 1897. During his last illness, extend ing over several months, he would frequently throw his pillow away, sny ing: "There is something in that pil low that hurts my head." His wife said that this was impossible, as she had gathered the feathers and made the pillow hers«lf a few years before. Some days after her husband's death the widow claimed that something seemed to say to her, "Look at the pillow." Upon opening the pillow she' found this object within it. When questioned closely she declared that the sewing was hers, and that it showed no signs of having been tam pered with, l'he neighbors believe in the woman's truthfulness. Dr. Kline writes that a similar wreath was found in the pillow of a six-year-old child who died of the same disease and about the same time as the above-mentioned patient. This was burned by the witch doctor with out Dr. Kline seeing it, but he is in formed that it was precisely like this one. By inquiry Dr. Kline learned of four or five other families who were said to have found witch wreaths in their pillows, and who ascribe to their presence cases of illness in their families. It appears that a belief in the evil efforts of witch wreaths is extremely common in parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey among the descendants of German settlers, and it used to be customary to put a Bible under the pillow to prevent their forming.— Philadelphia Press. Diamond Combustion. No one can tell where the diamond goes to in combustion. Burn it, and it leaves no ash; the flame is exterior, like that of a cork, and when it has blazed itself out there remains not even BO much as would dust the an tennas of a butterfly. There are forty varieties of tlifc to bacco plant. "Ptf SL TARMssggV Keeping Apple* In Pit*. A uniform temperature and one but little above freezing is more easily maintained in au out-of-door pit cov ered with soil than in the house cellar which is always kept too warm for the best keeping of fruit or vegetables. But in keeping apples in pits, care should be taken not to leiive the fruit in .contact with earth or where soil filtered water can get to it. This will give apples an earthy and disagreeable taste, which makes them unfit to eat raw and is not wholly removed by cooking. Locutions for Been. Many people fail of success with bees, because they do not place the hives right. If too shaded the bees are likely to be attacked by the moth miller, which breeds those worms that destroy the honey. It is well to have the bees up early,so the hives should front to the east, so as to catch the first rays of the morning sun. Either a well-roofed, low building should be put up as a bee stand, or the hives should be set on a bench under a tree all through the summer. In winter it is not best that bees should see sun light. If au underground cellar out of doors can be fitted up where the temperature may be kept below freez ing all the time, it will be much bet j ter than the warmer house cellar. Seedllni; Pencil Trees. In every peach orchard free from I the yellows, there will be more or less seedling peach trees springing up every year from pits dropped after the I peach was eaten the previous fall. It j requires freezing to open these pits, and the germ usually comes forth ! with the first warm weather of spring. | These seedlings will usually be of poor quality, as they are only natural fruit. But if they are set out in rich ! soil as soon as the shoots start, they j will grow rapidly and be plenty large j enough to be budded in July next. It | is a comparatively easy thing to learn |to bud. In this way a stock of peach I tree* can easily be secured if one I plants peach stones from healthy fruit | in the fall, and takes care to use only ; buds from healthy stock for budding | purposes. I.ettuce I'recetUnff Cucumbers. One of the favorite uses for the hot j heuse by market gardeners is in win ter to grow successive crops of lettuce ; planting us many as three successions, and then following with a cucumber | crop, which may continue bearing until all danger of frost is passed, and when the hothouse may be kept warm | enough by the sun's rays shining in on the plants during the daytime. In i fact, the sun will heat any hothouse ; too warm for any vegetables at this time of year. The windows must be | opened for ventilation all through the day. Some beos should be kept by i every gardener who grows cucumbers, as they are necessary to carry pollen from the male to the female blossoms. ; The male blossoms are the first that appear on the cucumber vine, and I they are much visited by been. So soon as the female blossoms appear i the bees also visit them and fertilize ■ the flowers. When cucumbers are grown in hothouses a swarm of bees inside the building devoted to this use is a necessity. An Inexpensive Hotbed. There was no one who had time or inclinatiou to help about making a hotbed out of doors, and it was deemed absolutely necessary to start a few early plants. Experience has demon strated that a large number of plants may be grown iu a very small space, »nd a novel idea presented itself. There was in the storeroom a wornout, rnsted-out kitchen sink. This was filled with earth fine and mellow and carefully sifted to make it as light and soft as possible. The seeds were planted,the sink was placed on a large box and inside of the box a lighted lamp was put with the flame just high enough to prevent smokiug. It was a small lamp and consumed but little oil, but it furnished the bottom heat that makes plant growing such a suc cess. Almost before one could be aware the seeds pushed their tiny leaves up to the light, and the roots crept down to find the warmth below. The drainage was excellent and all conditions seemed favorable. When the plants were well up and established, less water was given and stronger, more stocky plants were never planted out from au indoors nursery to an open garden. Large-sized galvanized pans are not at all expensive and are very manageable. When first planted a number of them may be stacked one above another with cross sticks to -keep them separate. If they are kept in the dark it will be quite as well, as the roots will grow faster than the tops and furnish a most excellent start in life.—The Ledger. Cowpm » Sntinfa) tury Crop. Select such land as was sown iu peas or some cultivated crop last year. Poor land with a liberal oivering of stable manure and all the phosphate at your command, put on in the spring, or at the time of planting, wil! not produce a profitable crop of peas. Plow about the middle or last of March, sow and barrow in or drill 200 pounds of South Carolina rock, 200 pounds of fish strap and 100 pounds muriate of potash per acre. With a small plow work out rows two feet wide and four inches deep. Sow peas with drill or by hand at the rate of two bushels per acre. Cover with plow or corn coverer. Before the peas come through drag or barrow the patch over well so as to loosen the top of the soil and kill all young weeds. A* soon as the peas are well through the ground cultivate with a small tooth harrow once a week for two weeks, then once more with a large tooth cultivator. By this time they will have begun to fall over and are ready to lay by. If this method is carried out a drouth or hot spell at time of bloom ing or maturity will not to any extent injure the crop. The vines should be cut just before the pods begin to turn a light color, or the peas yellow. Peas are profitable. lam sure of getting SSO worth of peas per acre. The vines are worth at least $5 for hay. They are planted in spring and come off in time to plant the land in corn, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, celery or millet. They take very little plant food from tho land. I sowed five bushels last year and delivered $143 worth to the factory. The crop was grown on two and one-half acres of laud. Part of this land after pea crop grew thirty bushels corn per acre.—B. F. B. Wood all of Delaware iu New England Home stead. Pieplnnt in tlit* Garden. No vegetable responds more readily to a minimum amount of cultivation than rhubarb, and it makes a first class substitute for fruit. Two meth ods of starting a bed of rhubarb may bo adopted, either by growing the seed or planting roots; but the latter is much preferable. If a few old roots can be obtained, they may be di vided with a sharp spade into as mauy pieces as there are eyes. Care must be taken to insure of there being an e.ve or bud to each piece, as they will not grow if this is missing. Rhubarb is a very heavy feeder of soda, one of the alkalies con tained in the ashes of plants,much the same as potash in its agricultural char acter and uses, and this fact must Be taken into consideration when prepar ing the land for planting. The plants should be set out in rows five feet apart each way, care being taken not to bury the crown, which should be about level with the surface. Fall planting gives the most satisfactory results, and a coating of well-rotted manure spread on the bed to the depth of six inches every fall and plowed in will materially assist development. Never allow the plant to run to seed, but on the first appearance of flower spikes remove them, as they greatly tend to lessen the vigor, besides caus ing the whole plant to become tough and insipid. The composition of the ash of the rhubarb stalk as given by Salisbury is: Carbouic acid, ..-40; silicic acid, 0.45; sulphuric acid, 10.72; phosphoric acid and peroxide of iron, 17.'20; lime, 3.57; magnesia, 0.20; potash,