Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-05-29
LECTURE V.

LECTURE v.
They are contented with an instru-
ment answering its purpose without
Improving it. and are behind the an
lcient Greeks aud Romans in ornamen-
tal skill; are great imitators. Other
nations, Mr. w. said, are indebted to
| hem for many inventlons-th COM
pass, gunpowder, porcelain, and print
ling probably. The emperor owns all
1.-The land, from whom it is held by
lease, inalienable as long as the taxes
are paid. The eldest son inherits the
| farm oy law, but none of the family
can be driven from the patrimony;
daughters inherit nothing. There are
356, 200, 900 acres of arabic land, to be
considered more under labor than I'M
der scientific cultivation. IF farm
is mortgaged for more than one half
its value, the mortgage must pay the
taxes; it may be redeemed 70 the
third generation. Agricultural wages
are IA cents per day; in town they
are go cents per day They manure
the seeds by soaking them in liquid
rather than the land. Rice is invaria-
bly, transpIanted, is often six inches
high; the first crop is sown in July.
the second in September. Wheat is
sown in October and reaped in March.
Almost all garden vegetables are trans
planted, and they are rather garden
ers than farmers. The implements of
husbandry are very simplNtillage be-
ing done by the hand or plough, and a
man will drive his buffalo before him
and carry his plough ON his shoulders
returning from labor. There are no
fences, but land is divided by dikes
and land marks. Flowers are cultiva-
ted in China more than in any other
country. Bufialoes are used in the
south. aud asses in the north; horses,
cows and asses are seen yoked togeth-
er, but never, as reputed, a mans wife
with an ass. Furze and grass are used
for fuel, also coal; and all these and
every thing else except, as is said, "eggs
and children" are sold by weight
Weaving is done by hand, one above
to manage the treadles and one below
to throw the beam. Porcelain all
comes from a single town in province
north of Canton; it is not SO good as
formerly. They are fond Of having
lars OF this material about their houses,
some have one as large as hogshead
in their gardens to hold manure
They never initiate nature exactly,
but are fond of the grotesque and odd.
They are not expert in working met
ais, making tools to answer their pur-
pose. Their composition for bells and
gongs is the same as our own bell-met-
al. In gold and silver they are expert,
especially in chasing; also skiIlful in
carved work, as on fences around their
temples descriptive of historic scenes.
They export gold-leaf to Englsnd-
also make brass leaf; but their lacquer
work is in high repute, the polish be-
ing produced by the juice of the lac
quer tree and very poisonous, so that
in working it the face and hands are
covered. TalIow is obtained in the
north from the tallow tree seeds; in the
south it is animal fat, candles from
which are coated with wax to prevent
melting. Embroidery is done by men
and women ten miles from Canton. -
I, requires about month to cut the
ivory balls. the external one contain
ing twelve within il, sometimes sixteen
or eighteen. To cut glass they draw
line with tallow which they heat
with stick, and the fracture is pro-
duced. Most of the trades are carried
on in the streets, even the most deli
cate. Formerly glass was imported.
but now they make it; and by imita-
ting what they see from foreigners.
they make a decent fowling-piece.
pistol. and have made a twentyfour
gun frigate. In medicines their prac-
lice is better than their theory-a
knowledge Of the effects Of some med
icines enabling them to effcc, some
cures. but never having dissected. they
know nothing of the anatomy Of the
human body. and they think The food
goes through the heart TO the stomach.
and that there are three avenues thro'
the body. Vaccination was introdu-
ced in 1920, but incubation was prac-
ticed in the 9th century. They do
not dance but are great tumblers. In
astronomy they know not much. though
they have recorded observations bacL-