Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-04-02
Che freeman.
Agriculture in Japan,
MONTPELIER. Vt.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL .. 1879.


very readable pamphlet with the above
title, from which we make some extracts.
Although the japanese have possessed
from time immemorisl many of our domes
tic animals, yet they have derived but little
benefit from them in consequence of the
peculiar tcnets of their religions, which
diScountenance their slaughter for any
purpose whatever. Sheep were introduced
by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century,
but were not considered of any value by a
people who would neither eat mutton nor
wear woolen clothing. Swine ran wild in
the forests, but were not domesticated.
Europeans enjoyed comparatively free
commercial intercourse with Japan for
about one hundred years previous to 1850
and they doubtless brought in some valu-
able seeds and animals, though it docs not
appear that many important results ac-
crued from these importations. The
choicest animal known to have reached
the empire during this period was horse
transported from the Philippine Islands by
the Spaniards in 1892. The most note
worthy plant introduced from Europe was
tobacco, which has become a universal
favorite, and is smoked by all classes and
DOtl StAtS, though III lllOueTtIlO0.
AS the chief product of wealth, the
farmer in Japan has always held high
rank, only government officers, priests,
teachers, and soldiers being regarded as
his superiors. Below him in the social
scale were ranked mechanics and artisans,
bankers and merchants, physicians, actors,
and all other classes, without regard to
wealth, learning or ability. The agrcul-
tural population, according to the last
census, number about sixteen millions, or
nearly one half the entire people, and the
men are usually able to read, write aud
cipher. Originally the Mikado was re-
gardcd rs sole owner of the soil, and su-
prcme ruler of all the people of Japan.
In ancient times taxation was compara-
lively light, but aftcrward became excess.
i've, when the fcudal system was in full
operation, and the empire was divided
into about one hundred provinces, each
with its own local daimiO, or ruler. These
diamios governed the farmers and taxed
them us they pleased; and at length, be-
fore their overthrow in 1871, they limited
their demands only by the absolute neces-
sites of the taxpayers. A certain por-
ton of the products of the soil was taken
by the taX-collector, the per cent varying
from forty to seventy-fve, according TO
circumstances. AT the present time, the
land is to great extent owned by indi-
viduals. and assessed at a reasonable rate
while the taxes are not allowed to exceed
for all purposes two and one-half per cent
Of the valuation, and are payable in mon
ey. This very moderate assessment is,
however, unpopular among the farmers,
- H. L. r
their crops at low rates to raise the cash
for their taxes. To obviate in some meas.
ure the difficulties arising from want of II
suitable market on account of the imper-
feet means of transportation in certain To-
Gallti1s, officers have been authorized to
purchase farm produce ut equitable prices.
The revenue of the imperial government
is now chiefly derived from tins land tax
which amounts to about fifty millions of
dollars per annum.
The mode of living among the Japa-
ncsc farmers is surprisingly simple and
inexpensive. Their houses are mere shells
of wood. without cellars, chmueys, glass,
or paint. The doors, windows and parti-
tions arc all made to slide, and consist
chiefly of light wooden sash covered with
thin, translucent paper, and without
hinges, locks, or permanent faStenings.
Every part is so slight and loose that Il
foreigner wonders how such II structure
stands in high wind The roof is the
most substantial portion, and holds the
house together and in its place by its
weight. In the older towns and villages
excellent tiles of stone.ware are used for
roofing; but in this country isolated farm
buildings are often heavily thatched with
straw or grass. In Yezo the roofs are
covered with split shingles, or pieces OF
birch.barl, which are kept in position by
logs of wood or fiat stones.
There are usually no tables in jap
anosc farm house; but the food is brought
in on lacquercd trays with legs which
raise them few inches from the floor.
The dishes from which the food is eaten
are lacQuerel wood Of the size and shape
of n deep tea saucer, and the knives. forks,
and spoons of western civilization are en-
tirely replaced by the much cheaper chop.
sticks of cedar wood. 1t is the business of
the cook to cut up and prepare food so that
it can be picked to pieces and poked into
the mouth with the sticks, assisted by
timely Inhalation of the breath. The
cooking is done chiefly by boiling
or stcaming in covered kettles of
iron or copper Baking and roasting
are not common operations in japanese
cooking, as bread and meat are rarely
eaton. The Universal substitute for bread
is steamed rice, which is eaten without
salt, sugar, milk, butter, or oil. 1t con-
stltutes by fur the greater part of the
daily food of the agricultural population,
and is both easy Of digestion and very nu-
titious."
Concerning the welt known japanese
propensity for doing things in what ap-
pears to us very backhanded style, Pres
ident Clark says:
"Tnis fashion Of checking horses
head d0lUn, instead of up, is only one of
many ways in which the japanese reverse
our methods. They back their horses
into their stalls SO that they cannot kick
and can be conveniently fed. They ap-
proach and lead them on what we call the
oft side, and they mount and dismount
on the same side. Instead of admiring n
long flowing tail. those who can afford il
tie up this ornamental appendage in an
elegant silk bag; and II sty lish rider,
despising an arching neck, tries to make
his spirited stced stick his muzzle straight
out, so that his nose shall be high in the
air and on II level with his ears. TO ac-
cumplish this, he stretches his arms as far
forward as possible, and seizes his rcins
about Fix inches from the bit. Finally,
japanese horses, in land abounding in
excellent iron and sbllful blacksmiths,
are shod with shoes of straw, and are often
fed on cooked food. Blacksmiths sit,
while At work, the anvil and fire being on
the ground, aud blow the bellows with
their toes. Carpenters and tailors hold
their work with the same members, and
the former draw the saw and the plane
towards them in cutting, instead ofshovng
them away. They faslon pieces of wood
together with pegs Of bamboo, instead of
nails, cut square holes with chisels for
pins in joining timber, instead of boring
round ones with augers, and depend large
ly upon doweling and dovetailing for
strength. In writing, the japanese begin
at what we call the last page of book,
though not at the bottom Of it,.but ut the
top; yet not ut the left hand corner, but at
the right hand one; nevertheless, they do
not proceed from right to left, but from