Note 15 — APPENDIX: AGRICULTURE IN FILIPINAS

1823. July 18—First cards for wool made in Filipinas, by a member of the corporation, Fray Diego Cera. It sends to China a plant and some seeds of the vanilla of the country. The existence of cerpentaria [sic] is recognized, a plant equally valuable with xiquilite15 for the production of indigo. On April 24, 1827, report was made of a record of experiments made for extracting from the said plants the fecula [i.e., coloring matter] of the indigo; and on September 5, 1828, a botanical description was furnished of the cerpentaria, and an analysis of the fecula which it produces. September 4—Seed of the sugar cane of Filipinas is sent to Habana, and that of rice (or palay) to the Economic Society of Sevilla.