Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-07-31

Tie Essex County Herald Association,
GUILDHALL, VT, July 81, 1875.
1t will be remembered that our
former u. S. Commissioner of agri-
culture, Hon. Horace Capron, was
selected and appointed to the same
Office under the japanese government
some few years ago. He embodies
his observations in that country in a
short report, from which it appears
that we have had but little knowledge
of that people that we style ignorant,
if not baroarous, and that they are
capable of being our school-masteTs
in agriculture at least. The Japan.
csc Islands have the same latitude as
the United States. The modifying
effect of surrounding bodies of water
upon the climate of islands and mar
row peninsulars is we'll understood.
SO here in these islands the climate is
very even and mild. The thermal
waters from the torrid zone, and the
soft winds from the spice islands, and
from whatever direction the breezes
come inland they bear the warm
breath from the Indian Ocean,
through the inland valleys, and high
up the mountain sides, moderating
the heat of summer and tempering
the cold of winter, till all the seasons
become one beautiful perennial spring.
The bluffs, hills and mountains in
every part of the islands are covered
with trees natural to the temperate
zone. The government owns the
land and loans it only to good farmers,
and in this way they have not only
preserved their forests, but in fact
insured their increase. No license is
granted to cut down tree, except
upon the condition that three more
shall be planted instead, and in this
way they have had timber and fuel
for thousands Of years.
The great antiquity of agriculture
in Japan, the rigid adherence to the
most ancient modes of cultivation,
the cheapness of labor, the thorough
character of the tillage, the economy
and application Of fertilizers, the ex-
tent aad completeness of the sys-
TEN of irrigation (Which utilities the
whole SYSTEM of the empire), and the
high and continued fertility of the soil
after thousands of years of successive
groupings, are all subjects of deep
thought to the American agricultural
list. Frosts are unknown in Japan,
and every month has its planting
time for some kind of vegetation, and
its harvest for others. Here is no
winter of rest. The husbandman
sows and tills and reaps through all
the seasons of the years of his life.
The grand secret OF the fertility OF
the soil is drainage, irrigation, econ
omy and application of fertilizers,
and thorough tillage. From this sys.
tenn of irrigation these people realize
the highest possibilities of the soil
They save their rain fall in reservoirs
and their bitches are so arranged as
to drain away the surplus moisture, il
too wet, and if too dry, supply the
deficiency from the reservoirs. What
lesson for the American farmer cal
be learned from a careful considera
ton of these people.
The whole area Of the settled por
ton of the japanese Islands is no
much larger than the New England
states. Upon this is concentrated ;
population nearly as great as that o
the whole United States they mum
Der 100000. The japanese farme
produces annually, from one acre O
land, the crops which require tou
seasons under their system in tn
United States. Thus the food of thi
vast population is supplied withou
the importation of a single article
and still not one-half the land is und;
tillage.