St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-09-03

l rolled down potatoes In the seif-same
manner. What a spectacle it must
have been Laugh not, this is true
! photograph of their qualifications,
At the ancient time these husband
men held land by feudal tenure.
Fields were sometimes very extensive,
but not their own; ones possession
under the present system Is compare
lively small, but their own. And
however small it is on the surface, it is
1000 miles deep that is very hand
some property. Japs call a poor
! farmer "Midzunomi Hiyak ushor
which is water-drinking farmer, to
translate literally. The derivation is
from the conjecture that he has moth
ing to fill up his stomach but water,
the cheapest thing in the world. They
are very diligent, begin the work by
starlight in the morning, and come
home in moonlight at night. Their
houses are matched with barley straw
and can be distinguished from sh' DIS
with great difficulty. Their instru-
ments are simple and rudimental. But
you will admire the burrows in their
geometrical accuracy over the we'll
cultivated fields Rice is the principal
product AS it is the principal staple of
our food. Wheat and cotton may
come next. Tea is planted on a large
scale i'll some particular localities of
the country. In summer they have
not that "big job" of haying. One
reason is that winter is very short. On
the island of Shikoku, where my home
| is, the SNOW falls once or twice within
IA year and not much. Another and
chief reason is that they do not keep
SO many cows as the farmers of the
| United States. There is no demand
| for butter and cheese. Therefore our
cows have not IA drop of milk taken
away from going into the mouths of
their calves. According to the famous
| English naturalist, the diminutive size
nted to what he terms "Use and Dis
use" Indeed, milking itself is II very
strange thing to Japs. Mothers alb
! stain from giving cows milk to babies;
| they are afraid that horns will grow on
the babies heads if they do. My sick
ly sister was advised by doctor to
drink quantity of milk every day.
She tried but could hardly continue,
not being accustomed to its odor. So
| was always n healthy patient to
drink it in her stead.
In regard to domestic animals there
exists no difference between yours and
ours. Horses neigh dogs bark hens
click. And, although the people all
speak Japanese, the children all cry in
| English. Bulls and cows are used as
beasts of burden. They have rings
through their nostrils boys lead them
about by strings which are tied to the
rings. Like Egyptians, Japs worship
bulls. Instead of drawing wagons,
horses carry things on their backs, do
not run only slowly on their unshod
feet. Sometimes their masters supply
them with straw shoes. Sheep are not
raised on account of the climates be-
ing genial. Cotton garments are warm
enough in winter. Silk-wOrms are as
siduOusly raised the people are SD
devoted tn the work that they scarce
" slumber at its critical moments. |
saw them weaving tapestry; saw
them making everything Imaginable
with the thread. But, nothing addi-
tiOnal can say to the mere confession
that those beautiful products are the
genuine Offsprings of their skilful ma
nipulation.
What keeps Japanese farmers busy
plants. Men divide the young rice
plants, grown thickly over a restricted
tract of the muddy fields, into count
less small punches, and throw them all
over the fields. Women and children,
with broad hats fastened to their chins
with red ribbons, creep i'll the mire
transplanting them, cOmfOrted only by
their rural songs. Travellers on the
high road near by forget the WEAKNESS
10y the cheerful melodies. Turning
toward the direction whence n cool |
breeze comes, he will notice the waves |
over the verdure of new plantations. |
Many poet has sung about this sunny |
scene.
Aside from this work, farmers al !
ways trouble their heads with the |
scarcity of water Abundance of water
is the essential requisite for the growth
of rice. Occasionally the rain is scanty ;
the weather is dry. Then disturbance
arises throughout the country. The
villagers along large river fight for
the monopoly of its water. The upper
village puts dam across the river.
The lower village sends men to de-
stroy it at night. Soon they are COM
PEELED to unite together against the
still upper village which puts another
dam at the loss of both. The struggle
does not subside without blOodshed,
and the interference of the govern
mental authority. Miserable are the
villages which have no river. They
have no earthly place to go and COM
plain of their wretched condition.
Hence their final issne is toward the
heavens. Drums, eymbals and the like
are carried to tue summit of noun
tain, and there a boisterous appeal is