Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-10-01
CLEVELAND. FRIDAY MORNING. OCTOBER /, 1858.

culiarities of ladies' dress, showed IudcrousIy
enough on their clumsy figures. At the close
Of the performance the seats were cleared avav,
aud after refreshments, the two bands present
struck up a lively air, which soon brought all
upon the floor, and until two O'Clock the old
I ships deck presented scene of merriment not
often seen in Hong Kong harbor
We passed week at Mr. Speiden's most de-
lightfully spending the time in seeing the nov
elites OF the town, the beauties of the neigh
bOrhOOd, making many pleasant acquaintances,
walking, riding in sedans and rowing in the har-
Dor. l also availed myself Of every opportunity
Of seeing and becoming acquainted with their
agricultural processes and productions. OF the
first, although they have the experience Of sew
eral thousand years recorded, | think there Is
little We can learn from them except to be con-
tented with our own. Most travellers have re-
marked that their customs are diametrically op-
posed to ours, as is the situation of their land
upon the globe; it did not therefore appear
strange to find their agricultural process $50 by
contraries - for example, during the very first
walk | took IN the country after arriving in
Hong Kong saw men dHehiRg ioitR hoes one
/ held mat with handles at each end, while the
other hood he dirt into it, he then stood By while
/ the first leisurely threw 1t out and replaced the
mat. They also use a sort of hoe instead Of
/ piOw for turning over the ground; it Is about
ten inches wiGe by fifteen long, and very heavy
IL is raised high over head ami allowed to dcs-
cend by its own weight into the ground when
/ by skillul jerk, the workman turns It with
its contents bottom upwards. Il is a slow pro-
cess, but in the soft ground Of the poddy fields
seems to do very well. eplOugh is only used
to stir the soil; the imperfectiOn Of the instru-
ment making it impossible to turn a furrow-
/ =
would think the inventor of it laborer, who,
tired with the toll of spading, called the OK to
his aid and tied his shovel to a rail" In the
use OF 1t, too, their opposition continues, for
while we attach two animals, and manage it
with two handles, they have but one handle,
and 1t Is drawn by single OK. We usually
make our beasts serve US when practicable 10
convey us home after the labor Of the day, but
they are so little accustomed TO any but manual
labor, that they will actually turn the OK loose,
and draw the cart home themselves with their
implements in it
But the most singular contrast is presented
by enc of their modes of threshing, which is by
making the grain active instead Of passive
in the operation; whipping it out as they cut
it, into box holding or 10 bushels, which
they carry along with them by handles attached
to the sides, leaving the straw to be collected
afterwards. They perform the operation also
by beating it out as we do, on floors made of
gravel and lime which they called ehHHaIR !;
these are generally situated in the open field,
and when well constructed are said 10 last sew
eral years They use 4 rake for a harrow and
their fingers for a rake. A hoe for plow aud
basket FOR shovel. But notwithstanding the
ruieness of their implements, their want Of in
yention and their aversion to adopt any I'M
prOvements from others, they exhibit great
deal of patent industry and considerable inge-
nuity in the employment Of the means they
possess.
The only application of machinery to agricul-
tural processes have seen, is the chain pump,
and the winnOwing machine. The former is
nearly on the same principle as that in use
among Us, but the buckets are much larger and
it works on an inclined plane, being driven some
times by oxen after the manner of our hOri-
zontal horse power, and sometimes by men or
women, on a sort of tread mill. The winnOw-
ing mill is almost precisely like that in common
use with US, and has been employed without
alteration for more than thousand years, the
only difference that l could perceive, being, that
1t was only about half wide, and was fur
mis- 4 with but single scren- In eonstruc-
lion, although it was rude and clumsy, L was
nevertheless lighter aud better adapted to its
end than most Of their tools.
Il Is probably better that in 4 country where
not only the towns, but in the agricultural dis
districts the population depending upon labor for
substance IS so dense and the remuneration
so small, that they shoul5 remain ignorant of
labor saving machines for food could not be
cheapened by their introduction, while labor
would be- The Chinese are emphatically veg
etarians and their list of culinary vegetables is
long, though their quality is generally inferior.
The meats consumed by the Chinese" VIII
liams says, comprise, perhaps, greater va
riety than are used in other countries" while
1t the same time, the amount Of animal food
used is very small, especially of domestic ami.
mails, and stock breeding as a business, Is a thing
unknown. Beef which is almost as mucl as
bread our staff of life, is not much used By them
for food not as some authors have supposed, on
account of religious prejudices, but because the
government discourages raising more than are
employed to assist IN tillage, the land which
would be necessary for pasturage, being capable
of supporting greater numbers Of their swarm
ing population, when used for grain growing.
Horse-iesh Is used among them, both for food
and medicine, and they have many curious
suPerstitiOns regarding 1t. The flesh Of white
stallion IS said to be the most wholesome. while
that OF a black horse viii produce death, unless
l5iAs Is taken 9th Il I; but the hog Is the most
universal of all the domestic animals, and is on
the most familiar terms with the common peO-
pie sharing often the same apartment BY night
ls well as by day. Fish and game are also
abundant, but Tice is the great staple Of con-
sumption, and with the mass of the people, 1t Is
almost their only food meat and fish, when
used, being taken only as a relish, and in very
small quantities.
have allowed myselfto wander from my
travels 70 the results Of observations, so that /
must leave my trip 10 Canton and Macao, for
another letter which 1 may inhiet upon you, by
the next mail. c. A +.