Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-12-24
Ten Acres Constitute a Large
Farm Under the MikadO'S
Rule.
Over Forty-0De Million Feed
from 100000
Acres.
Interesting Facts Concerning Az
riculture on Il Uiminu-
tive Scale.

A Toxic letter says: The land under
cultivation IN japan Is about lo,UUU,UUU
dcres, upon Tie product oil which IL
10000 must be Ied. IL is unnecessary
70 dud that TIE farms are Sluan. The
average Iarm Is but one TO uhree acres,
and "a Jeu-acre plot Is considered u
Etfse IarUI. 50 many things are done
III the unnlnuuYe scale IN japan
Space utilizing ana territory saving
nave been reduced 10 a me arr, After
surveying the Japanese Heids and gar
uens IL is easy 10 understand now
IWal1iug horticulture originated ages
ago III TINS cOuluy.
The method so long regarded BY
other nations as u secret, was resOrted
" as Il hlaJJer of eXpediency, ii not Of
necessity, Tor The limited space would
not otherwise have permitted a variety
OF grOwths. IL the physical aspect Of
Il country affects the intellectual HE
OF the peU'Le, then the neaIneSS OF
view of everything III Japan may be
one influencing element thut tends TO
eradicate the range OF perspective in
the mental vision. AT auy rate, we
ind in Japan people who particular
iZe rather lhan generIGze, and who
dwell with infinite nicely upon the de
tails and minutiae IF everything they
contemplate OF undertake., from the
writing OF "A poem ID the planting Of
a lield. That extreme CleYerneSs and
manual skill are the expression Of GER
tain intellectual traits that fail in the
same category and help to prove the
theory.
Farming is not regarded by the Jap
anese III the light of science, subject
to the tiucUuating notifications of new
Improvements, but as an art whose
scope was measured and whose limita-
lions We're conceded long ago. The
methods of cultivation, the succession
of crops, and even the kind of machin-
cry used are the same as they were
nearly 1000 years ago. In spite Of the
agricultural limitations, no country in
the world produces SO much per acre
as Japan. The limit of cultivation was
reached long ago, but by judicious use
of fertilizers, and a skin in farming
that amounts to u genius, the same
average yield is obtained year after
year.
The land is wen suited to irrigation,
and the water which is regarded as
impure by fastidious Europeans, is
abundant Most Of the land is made up
Of plains, whose surface is wen drained,
being washed by the water falling up
On the hills and ranges from the back.
The numerous rivers and water courses
which cross the plains on their way to
the sea are utilized for purposes Of
irrigation. The water is drawn to high
elevations, from which it overfows the
land in channels.
In April the crops are in a flourish
ing condition, and wheat, barley, rape
and corn form the principal part. All
the fields are planted with mathema-
tical precision, for the element Of ac-
curacy enters into the art of the far
mer, and the fields must be pleasing in
appearance. The cereals are astonish-
ingly regular in position and growth.
Ard even the ears Of corn appear in
line as they come out The cereals,
whether planted in single or double
rows, grow in clusters OF sevelal stems.
each cluster Deing exactly IN line; so
that the eye detects no irregularities
whatever. Seed is too valuable to
waste, and only rice is scattered broad
cast. -Four or five grains Of corn are
planted together upon ridges equal dis
tauces apart, and generally in rows.
The intervening space is utilized for
growing beans, which are so planted
TINT they caa get space and light with
ont injury TO the other crops.
Land is SO valuable that no space is
allowed for grass-plots, and it Is
curious thing that no weeds are to be
seen in any OF the cultivated plots in
Japan. Every inch Of ground must be
put to the most profitable use, and
seed borne by the current or dropped
by bird stands little show of growing
to maturity. SO thoroughly have the
Japanese got the mastery Of these
pests that the soil is entirely free from
every trace of them. The climate and
the warm, humid atmosphere are par
ticularly favorable to the growth Of
rust and other parasitic forms. but they
have also entirely disappeared from the
fields Of Japan. 4 few narrow paths
are made in the fields whore absolutely
necessary, but there are no roads and
consequently no room for wheeled w.
Ficles or machines. Almost all the
work Of cultivation Is done by hand.
and the toolsl are simple. The tool
used for cutting barley or wheat CON
siSts Of a sharp blade placed at right
angles TO the shaft. which is about
two feei long The corn IS cut v1rr
carefully, 50 that the adjoining plants
ARE not injured
Thrlshing too Is a tedious process.
There IS no room in the fields for dry
ins sheaves, for the ground must ba
used immediately after harvest for
other crops. The corn sheaves. are tied
m IN hungbnS a4,1 s.,y,,,--y.- 49,