The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-05-21
Cotton, Tobacco and Rice Crops of China

Tue gIooe, TO so great an extent rs in China
In The absence OF statistical data AS a guide
20 IL correct knowledge of the agricultural
products OF the Chinese Empire, the proba.
Die extent OF these crops in that counirv ha
comes matter of curious investigation and
can only oe approxlmated by comparisons.
Their exports, like their imports, are
very few and limited-the one perhaps
nearl y balancing the other. j, NAV tber.
lore be reasonably assumed lhat the produc;
oi these staples is equal to the home con
suiDp iun.
we have never made much progress in
introducing our cottons into China. Some
oil me Det'er classes Of the people prefer our
wide fabric, which the more ignoran, class
es denominate Heaven made cloth ~ he.
cause they can form no idea of a loom larc.
enough 10 weave it:-and yet very it'll. of
II nhds market there, in consequence of
It's nigh price as compared with their own
Our raw cotton Is not preferred to theirs
for manufacturing purposes because Of ;,s
longer staple. Their prodnc, and tho n,o.
uuc' oi lndla-a comparatively small ouan.
t''y OF winch annually finds a market there
lis better suited TO their manufacturers
ihe common cloth worn by the people-
tie usual narrow width of the yellow nan.
KIN fabric to be found in our own market
is OF coarse and thick texture and i
sold everywhere in the empire at a n,;,.
not exceeding twenty tSein. (or cashl abou,
one cent and half per yard. With such
prices our coarse fabrics cannot competc
lhe cotton jackets of Chairman are his
thermometer. On hot summer dav he
VIII have upon lIis back not more than one
ana sometimes less; but rs the weather
grows colder, he will continue TO mt an
one over another, until the cn!dcst davs or
winter ms entire wardrobe is in reoui>i,ion
"'h h'm II i from "one Jacket cold" To
ten jackets cold" and his jackets are to him
as faithful records Of the temperature. AS
'he marked degrees in the glasses of Fab
fehheIt are TO us. CottonS are very uenc,,l.
Iy worn throughout China: and il is NOT
unfair To assume that the inconsil.raLI,.
imports from this country and from Indi,,
"e quite balanced 10y its exports of the finer
nahkin fabrics 10 this country and Others.
30 we should take it Tor granted that the
quantity produced there is at eas, equal to
The quantity consumed.
lake, then, the population Of China at
any fIir estimate of its number. together
with the fact ihat all the people are con
St'"t wearerH ot cotton cloths. (anl large
proportion OF them wear no o,her lab,icl -
ascertain the probable number Of hounds
required To cIoIhc "A person there for one
year, and then multiply that number of
pounds by the number Of The population.
and what an immense product of cotton !,
the result! Even if dis vast r.sul, H., ii.
vded 10y the most liberal allowance for es
tima!ed numbers in the extreme North
who wear turS or skins in winter. and the
mandarin classes of the interior. who wea,
SILKS s-ior bioadcloths are rarely worn bv
the Chinese-yct The result would Le os
lon'sl'ing, aN showing the aggregate quan
ti!y annually produced.
1y similar method OF calculation may
we approximate the probable extent of the
tobacco crop. The Chinese are invelerate
smokers. All classes and sexes are addict
ed to the habit. Like the Dutch, they have
not the habit OF chewing and snuging To a
great extent, but Ike them. the pire ami
tobacco-Ponch are Indispensable compan.
ions. Those who have spent wears in that
empire, and have travelled in Enrope. bear
Witness, from personal observation. iha, To
oacco Is rs freely used there as in Holland
Ahu II Is wei a>cer,alned that the amount
consumed 10y the Dutch is not less per an
mum Than al The rate of three hounds per
head Tor the entire population Litlie or
10 tobacco Is imported to China. and we
are therefore left to multiply it> population
py three As showing the product and con.
sumption oi Ten OF Twelve hundred million
pounds per aunum. Yet, We have some
uines heard our statesmen declare I'M their
speeches that IN consequence of the inter
dIctlon of the tobacco culture i'm Enropc
We have become the growers Of tobacco
for The whole world"
HE probable extent Of the rics erop of
Chiha Is not 80 easily approached. Rice is
'he'' hrNt and greatest staple. The inhabi
iAn's OF The Southern portion OF the cmpire
SHoSI't almost altogether on nee and i,b
IL Is Their daily bre.,d;" aud instead of be-.
ing asked if YOU have taken Breakfast or
dinner YOU are asked, have you taken
ncei 1t we're we'll worth the time nece,.
"ary Tor inquiry, To undertake compuia
ton ot the quantity Of rice required To sub.
S'St tue vast population who live upon il al.
most exclusively; for it would nn, b, f,r
from the aggregate quantity produced in
the empire. Aud The figures of the total
would be more astonishing than they are
III our calculation Of the cotton and lobac.
co crops.
We have touched this novel and rather
curious point OF commercial aud a,ricuIiu
raI investigation, with the hope Of cIiciling
well b. t,,l -. =