The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-09-15
Farming i'm japan.


impressed with the smalncss of the
fields. A wheat or barley field contain.
ing moro than two acres would he hard |
to find. In most cases they do not OK.
coed one-fOurth or oHc-half of acre. |
Their farming is all on very small
scale. Many of their rice fields rescm.
BILE little lawns or croquct plats, and a
lew rows ofpotatoes or other vegetables |
are all the average farmer ever thinks |
of planting. Notwithstanding the |
smallness Of their individual farms.
great quantities are produced. for great
numbers are engaged in farming. The |
wheat and barley is sown in rows and
very carefully cultivated. Consc-
qucntly II grows luxuriauiy, and is
entirely free from other plants. SO of
all the fields; they arc free from weeds |
and thistlcs. There are no fences or
hedges in the fields, and The divisions
consists of narrow paths. Thus you
look without obstruction over many
farms at once, and the variety of crops,
all growing richly and without wceds.
presents very pleasant picture. Their
grains consist of lice, which is the IN ost
important of all their productions, be-
cause it is their leading article of food
and sake, their national drink, Is made
from 1t. Wheat and barley are cxlcn-
sivcly cultivated. saw no oats. Peas
and millet are also grown. Among
vegetables they raise cabbage, turnips,
potatoes, onions, and radishcs. The
latter is a special iavorite, and is grown
III large quantities; it is pure white in
color, ana grows To an enormous siz :.
have handled and measured them
in
served in salt by the natives and used as
pickles. a meal is not complete with.
out this vegetable. The entire country
is mountainous and well supplied with
streams, which arc used very Success.
fully for iriigating purposes and for
flooding their rice fields. The plow is
scarcely known in many parts of the
empire, and when used it consists of
very primitive instrument, which docs
not turn n turrow, but simply scratches
the surface Of the soil. Tie earth is
generally broken b. hand, aud the in
struincnt most i'll use is "A long hoe,
which the workincn forces in TO the soil
with skilllul blow and then pulls over
the earth. They arr wiser than we in
that they never plant II crop without
iertilizlng the soil; hence, while their
land Is not naturally rich, it constantly
increases in fertility. They have no
exact chemical knowledge of the soils.
still they seen to understand the great
essential principles of successful hus-
wasted energies of thc soil. and hcs, '"v
care fu, unrcmittiuv cultivotion On tho
lI"nts. Incy sum-, ".,,.,.. ~ ~
wasted "hi;h can possibly increase the
producing powers OF their fields. The
leaves OF autumn arc carefully gathered
and placed in tanks TO rot. All tho ref
use of their crors is also utilized. and
where it is possible, scawced is gathered
for The same purpose. Along all the
highways are tanks at frcqucnt inter.
walls, placed on the level on the urouud
and the reverse of the common notice
"comnit no nuisance here" il nosicJ
up near nj hand. The Gr,ucrs ucor
large towns and cities may be seen in
scores at almost any hour carr, inc
wooden buckets filed with nipht-soij
which they are bearing away TO thci,
gardens TO be used as a fertilizer.
In travelling through the counirv ouo
sees no pasture fields nor orccn ,noo.
dows, smell no clover nor the scent of
ncW-mOWu hay: those arc ou;tn M.
thought of BY the farmers. They have
m nnod for ibom r,r ,ho fan, Louo,,,.
oyuod Inv tbc nnonio snhs;e, o,' 49, III, TT
,,r,ss vim; ,1 ILL., ~ n1 "" ',ic Wl.''
r;cc Goids or ,ho o,ao, 0I h;te;s,n y, 'no''
millci md loans Sn,rS 'e s,,o niso Oh
they are of lhol nnhln .n;,nnI Tt,,
men and women do tho mos, Of ~.
work. The horse is seldom, nsoJ n,r
any other purpose Than to carry n rnn
bnndles on his bacl, Uo is 10" toI
with roro, land shod with straw Shoes
which will last only Short distance,
and then must be renewed. | have
ourncycd hundreds of miles into the