Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-01-20
WHEAT RAISING IN CHINA.
The Primitive Processes OF Growing ane
Milling In the Celestial Empire.

Milling In the Celestial Empire.
New York Sun: In the northern
and middle partss of China
wheat growing is n of the
principal industries of the farmer. The
winter wheat is planted at about the
same time wheat 10 planted here. The
soil, especially in the northern provinces,
IL 30 we'll worn that it 10 especially IN
fitted for wheat growing, and the
Chinese farmers, ~appreeiatlng this fact
and the fact that all kinds of fertilizers
are excessively dear, make the least
money do the most good by mixing the
seedlings with finely prepared manure
A man with a bushel basket
swung upon the shoulders fol-
lowe the pillow immediately and plants
the mixtures in large handfuls I'D the
furrows, so that when the crop grows up
10 the fall it looks like young celery,
even as well-trained French soldiers in q
row. Immediately after the fret melt
ing OF snew and when the ground has
become sufficiently hardened by frost
these wheat fields are turned into pas
lures, under the theory that by O timely
clipping OF the tops of these plants by
healthy animals the crops will grow up
with additional strength in the spring.
Wheat threshing is the principal In
terest IN Chinese farming. Owing to
the scarcity of fuel the wheat is pulled
up usually by the very root and bundled
up in Bheaves, the same as is done here,
and immediately csrted to the .'mien
cnopg," q smoothed and hardened
space OF ground near the home of the
farmer, The tops OF the sheayes are
then clipped off by a hand machine.
The wheat Is then left in the 'tmien
chong" to dry, while the headlesa
sheaves are piled up in q heap on the
outside Of the 'mien cong" for fuel OF
%thatehing.
When the wheat is thoroughly dry il
! ia beaten under q great stone rolled
pulled by horses, while she pisces thus
rolled over are constantly tossed owe
with pitchforks, The atalks. left un-
touched by the roller are thoroughly
threshed with fails by women and boys.
The well beaten stalks and stsaWs are
then taken out by an ingenious manipu-
lation Of the pitchforks, and the chaf IL
removed by Q Systematic tossing of tbs
golden grain in the air in shovelfuls un.
I til che wind blows every particle OF ohaff
| or dast ont of the wheat. Even the.chan
is carefully swept up end slowed away
for fuel or other useful purposes, suoh OF
! stufffng mattresses, pillows. and stable
uses, After the wheat is allowed to dry
o few hours in che burning sun il il
| stored away in airy bamboo bins.
Wheat in ordinary years is worth in
open market in northern China about
81 per American busheI. The milling
process is a very ancient one-two large
round, blue stone wheels, with grooves
neatly out in the faces on one side, nnG
in she center OF the lower wheel O sole
wooden plug, are used. The process O
making -four out of wheat by this SLOW
Usually g horse or mule is employed
The poor, having no animals, grind tht
grain themselves.
Three Distinct grades OF -four are thu
produced by this single grain, The 'shol
mien," OF A grade. Is the first siitings
the t'nee MEN," or second grade is th,
grindings Of the rough leavings from th,
first siftings which 10 OF q darker ent
Q redish color than the first grade o
emo d" lie the finely grount
last sistipgs of all the grades. Whel
bread is made from this grade
resembles rough ginger bread. Thi
ia usually the food OF the poores
families. who buy it of something lik
2os. o bushel. The bread OF the Chimes
is usually fermented and then steamed
Only q very small quantity is baked il
ovens. But the staple articles OF foo,
ia Northern China are corn millet an,
sweet potatoes. In the southern pro
vinces the entire breadstuf is rice.