The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-06-25
A LAND OF TINY FARMS.
How TIL, Teenin. Niiions of Jipl
AR. Fed and Clothed.

How til, Teemin. Mi.iions of japan
Fed and Clothed.
The economic problem OF how to re-
lieve the pressure of an increasing
population upon limited means of sub
sistence has not get been solved in .Ja-
pan. A temporary if Mt Il perma-
nent relief is promised in The attempt
of the govern ment TO encourage emf
grafton to foreign countries. Already
thousands have settled in the iiaw-
allan and other islands OF the Pacific.
japan is so cut up by mountain
ranges and almost impossible cliffs
that only about one e ghtl of the
whole are" is suitable for operation
The country is so s;na.l and the popu.
tation SO great that the wonder Is that
the people have managed 10 exist a
all But 10 the fact that they have
lived and thrivcd their enormous
numbers bear testimony. The high
cultivation of the land the Vegetarian
diet of the people together
with the remarkable staying power
of the race have made the matter
OF existence comparatively easy IL
ayes pas But Notwithstanding the
power OF resistance which Is charac-
teristic Of the people there must be
a limit to their endurance. Tho
rapid increase OF the population
together with the drain upon the re-
sources Of the country, would surely
in a few gears have resulted in moth
ing less than Il contest with scarcity,
If not an actual fight against famine.
E,,t fnr tho a IaH-t the
calamity has been averted By the en-
igration OF thousands of coolies,
which has proven the best thing, not
only for Japan and the en- grants
theas sci .-es. bat for the new conn
tries. The decrease OF population in
the Pacific Islands makes it impossl-
bic to obtain necessary and I;clcnt
labor at home and the recruiting of
the industrial forces by the energetic
and skilled japanese agricultural
laborerS is ju-t what is needed.
Large companies are emiSratlng
nearly every month under coltracy
to remain from three to i've years.
Owing TO the demand for labor and
the efficiency o. the Japanese the
terms Of the contract are particularly
1 4iC ~ 'StiSt' vi lilS w.
both way; are generally pail, and
the e1igrant has the privilege OF re-
turning at the end of the first year if
dissatisfied He receives better wages
and is enabled to live in greater com
fort than at home. Other countries
have responded 10 Japan, AMI Just
how great the exodus W Il become
within the nest few years m;iy &C.
pend largely upon the inducements
offered.
TO IN outsider it wolll seem eI-
rcdient for the government t. bring
the island OF lc5o under cultivation
The great drawback IS the Climate.
which is much colder than that OF the
rest OF the empire. JaDrnesc dwell
ingS are not built 10 withStan sc.cre
cold and the natives have made no
attempt to make 4 change in the Oh!
forms of dwelling structures.
The land under cultivation in Japan
is abolt i. 90. O0j acres, upon the
product OF which i. 90. % must be
fed. Ii Is unnecessary TO add that
the farms are small. The average
farm is from one " three ares and a
ten acre pot is considered Il large
farm. 30 many things are done on
the dim,nuti c ,c.t c in ,:apa1. space
utilizing and tcs','Ito:'y Saving has ben
reduced 10 Il fine art.