The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1886-11-25
Irrigation in Japan.

In all parts of the mountains and in the
foothills, at the sources and along the
line of the streams there are immense
reservoirs for the storage Of water in the
rainy season. BY this means the over
flow of the lower lands in the wet months
is to some extent prevented. and the
supply in the dry months is supplement-
ed. The bitches foc irrigation are al
ways so constructed as to be means of
drainage when there is an excess Of rain.
BY this means the supply of water to the
farmer is equalized through the whole
year. Another necessary result is ac-
complished - the health of the irrigated
districts for plants and people is con-
served. Drainage for these purposes is
just as imrortant in any country as irri-
ga.ion. The japanese system is perfect
in three important particulars, viz,
storage of water, distribution of water
to the land, and the drainage of the irri-
gated lands. That irrigation. has been
proved there to be Of incalculable bene-
fit is shown by the enormous crop rate
through the whole Empire. 1t is within
bounds to say that japanese farmer
raises more from one acre of his land
than q California farmer does from five
acres.
It is true that much of the land there
has two crops 6 ycar-one IN the summer
and one in winter. In many places in
that island empire the soil has yielded
two crops year for 2, 900 years, and the
productive capacity of the soil is greater
now than ever That is in marked con-
trast to the result of land skinning in
the United States. In the spring piece
of land will be sown to rice. which is
the great staple crop. The rice IS har-
vested in October, with an average crop
rate of fifty bushels to the acre; and
right on the hce's of the reaper follows
the spade snd mattock, preparing the
land for crop of wheat, barley or rye.
These latter crops are sown In October
and November and are harvested in
April or May, with m average crop rate
of forty bushels of barley to the acre.
In order to maintain through hundreds
of years such crop rate, fertilizat on is
of the utmost importance. In fact that
is the great problem for the farmer to
solve. Unlike this and European coun-
tries, the farmer has no barnyard fcrtili-
zers. The people eat neither beef, pork,
mutton, butter, milk nor cheese. Cat
tie and horses are used only for purposes
of packing. With a population of s.
00D, 900, there are less than 1000. 600
head o. horses and 1000, 900 head Of
cattle. and no sheep or swine.
Under these circumstances the question
of fer,ili ,crs is of the first Importance:
Experience has taught these people that
irrigation is an important means Of fertill-
zation. 1t has been demonstrated that
irrigated lands require only about two
thirds as much fertilization as non.ir-
rigated lands AS an evidence of what
thorough tillage, combined with irriga-
tion and drainage. has done there, it
needs only to be stated that Japan has
under tillage only 100000 acres; that
from these 12,OO0, 900 acres 3S.000.000
people are clothed and fed. More than
that is done; 1000, 900 pounds of tea,
silk to the value of several million dol
lars. and large quantities OF tobacco and
rice are annually exported. Such results
speak more than volumes Of what thor
ough tillage, supplemented by irriga-
ton. can do even in country with sixty
tn 100 inches of rainfall. Francisco
| Chronicle.