The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-09-23
JAPAN CIVILIZATIOv-A PECU.
LIAR PEOPLE,

that every district OF country large
enough to support thirty million poo
pie has peculiar Topographic and eli
matte influences which develope a race
or breed OF mankind differing from all
others. The Scotchman never could
originate out Of Scotland, or the
Frenchman out Of France, nor the
Irishman ont OF Ireland, nor the Van.
kee ont OF New England. Transplanted
into other soils and climates, much that
is peculiar TO these ~natiODalities is soon
lost. II would be impossible to build
up a German, Italian or English nation
in America. Every land modiGes the
character to it's own children,
The Japan islands possess great nat
nral advantages for supporting the hui
mar family, and these advantages have
given existence to q curious civilization
which deserves the consideration OF
every thoughtful reader In the United
States human industry and common
sense are 90 far cultivated and improved
that an average six acres Of improved
land support one inhabitant. In ia
pan, according 10 the Hon. Horace
Capron (good authority, thirty million
acres support over thirty.three million
people, giving the use and benefit OF
about nine-tenths Of an acre to each
inhabitant. Nor il this n forced con
centration Of rural labor. One-half of
tho islands is not cultivated at all ; the
remarkable concentration OF industry
and capital is from choice TO increase
profits, food and raiment.
All the land belongs to the govern
ment, who lease it to farmers for ten
years. If they keep up the fertility
and raise satisfactory crops, each cult
vator and his family hold the estate in-
definitely. But if from sickness, pow
erty, l~azineBs, or any other cause, the
land produces weeds in place OF rice,
wheat and barley this serious injury TO
the public il net suffered to continue.
Tho delinquent loses caste and place,
and Il better man takes the land to work
and manage, for the interest OF the
community, and the benefit OF an nd
,mced family. Tho iittest survives.
The system Ia feudal with the land title
in the crown, rather than in the lords OF
entailed estates. 1t is better than the
European land Rystcm, in 30 far as 1t
makes tho constant fertilization OF the
soil it's basis to command n plenty Tor
all. The economy is very much Ike
that OF a swarm of bees, where useless
drones are killed rs n nuisance in the
hive. But how has the fruitfulness OF
fields bearing two crops a year Tor
thousands of years, with nc rest, been
maintained Gen. Capron, who re.
signed the Ofioo Of commissioner OF
agriculture in Washington to accept n
similar position under the japanese
government, after several years obser'
vatiun, thus answers the above ones
ton
"The whole area of the settled por-
ton of Japanese Islands il not much
larger than the New England states.
Upon this il concentrated n population
nearly as great M that of the whole
United States. The thrift, economy and
skill in agriculture, without live stock
to convert the luxuriant vegetation of
the unoccupied land into manure for
their titled fields, or any system OF
rotation Of crops, supplemented M with
us 10y tho ronovating c%lovers, and I'M
aided by mechanical appliances of any
sort. Tho Japanese farmer produces
annually from n aero OF land the
crups which require four seasons under
this system in the United States. Thus
the food of this vast population is sup
Piled, without the importation OF n sin
glo n%rticle, still not one-half OF the
land is under tillago. There is nothing
in our agriculture that can bear n COM
parIson with this. The grand secret is
drainage, irrigation, economy and ap'
plication of fertilizers and thorough
Irrigation and great economy in say
ing and collecting all fcrtilizing sub
stances, IRE the ground work of Japan
civilization. Human beings pull the I
lows, harrows md cultivatorB in place !
If horses, oxen and other animals.
hey carry travellers in sendans in place
( coaches and other vehicles on wheels,
IIan is apparently II beast of burden :
md Of much labor, yet the eight hour
ystem has prevailed in Japan for cen
uries and without eating meat, eggs
,r poultry. they are asrobust, healthy
after living on boiled rice,
wheat and barley for II hundred genera
lions. They have no sheep, and for
80, 500, 600 inhabitants, only seventy
thousand cattle. They have six regular
holidays every month, and many other
harvest and government holidays. The
spade stirs the ground to the depth of
twelve OF fifteen inches. The rainfall
is about three times that of the United
and greatly facilitates universal
irrigation. Reservoirs have been buiit
everywhere on the highest grounds from
which a perfect net work of canals has
been constructed, TO water all lower.
ying land. The system is as old rs
heir occupation of the islands.
Steam can do much for this industri.
'us people, and is now being intro |
Itsis not likely that the habit of {
atiDg meat, ~ laboring men in this
do, would benefit them in any
Man can work and live on &
rain and vegetables as well as horses.
Three Thousand years of successful ex.
,%erience ought to Salty oil Of the truth
# this statement. Tho pig can live on
iesh or blood as easily as a man /; but
he best porkers are raised and fattencd :
IN grain, roots and gross, not on meat.
Civilization tends to remove mankind
rom the shedding of blood for any {
purpose of food. The art and science
enjoying perfect health for a CEN
,ury or more, open mp a wide field for
research and observation in all the ma.
ions Of the earth, Boiled rice, wheat.
peas and beans, with milk, fruits and
vegetables, tend to longevity, universal
peace and universal piety. Every ma
ton has the germs of piety, but no one
burdened.. with charity for any sys.
tenn Of religion that differs from its
1wp. The Japanese dislike very much
ior Christian missionaries To come into