New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-31

he is permitted TO have rice What. so i'll that
he must have rice ?" is asked in sympathy, aud
the patients case is indeed alarming when this
grain is resorted to as diet
Before the fields are hocd the surface is covered
with vegetables straw such bean. haulm or
bamboo grass. which decay in time and make
excellent fertilizers. This coating is turned under
the mud by means of hoes little larger than
ordinary spades. Sometimes a subsoil plough is
used TO accomplish the result. The coating
Of vegetation keeps the muddy earth open and
in pordls condition tie first season and furnishes
fertilization for the second. After the surface Is
carefully smoothcd, it is covered for depth #
sin inches with water This process of irrigation
is very particular. although simple enough. Water
is conducted into the field of the highest elevation
i'll the neighborhOod which IL oyeriows, and then
is carried 10 the next field, few inches lower.
and on through the whole series Of fields to the
lowest. Water at the uniform depth of six inches
is allowed to stand in each. II by chance any OF
the fields cannot '7c watcrcd in this way, another
method is used Water i thrown up TO the re-
quired level by means of trcadwhcels, placed in
the channels built for the purpose. The weight
Of the men who tread the wheels Is sufficient TO
throw the water mp to n considerable height
The rice plants are pulled out of their sect
bed> and several stems are punched together and
pressed into the mud The plants are lrrcgulary
placed 10 allow as abundant growth possible.
The men and women who plant this aquatic
grain stand in the mud and water half way up
to their knees all day long while the blisternJ
rays of the sum pour down upon their bare
heads. After few weeks the plants arc ready to
be puddled The mud must be pressed around
each bunch Of plants and weeks are spent by
the growers in the slushy fields again. The
water is gradually stopped, and by the lime the
rice corn is ready To be cut the fields arc fairly
dry. Each bunch is cut with hand sickle
after the manner of barley or wheat and TIE
rice corns are knocked of by hand. The gram
is bundled and carried from the fields by the
men and women strapped on the back ana
sides Of a pony. Carts or other conVeyanccs are
not used for the reasons already given. lue
rice produced amounts TO about l1O,ooo,oop
bushels per year, or about II hnsh"ls
per capita 1t is second in quality only 10 that
grown in Java the CarolinaS, and next In
silk is the principal export of Japan.
Sericulture is of an important industry.
and AFT or,ls employment for women and children.
The japanese cocoon is cXceed in quality only
by the French In July the cocoons may be seen
hanging about the houses to dry after they have
been removed from the branches of the mulberry
| Beans of many varieties raised, for thcy
| grow easily. and form principal article OF food,
I
whether green, half ripe, maturcd or dry Bean
| meal bean curd and bean soup are rch-hcd 10y
the Japanese The principal article OF diet Is
millet, and it is the most easily grown OF all
the cereals \ good quahty of cotton is also
| raised and is used more for the manufacture OF
| the famous crcpes than for anything else. Root
| crops, such as beet, potato or turnp are raised
sparngly. Potatoc, arc cultivated for the benefit
| of Europeans. or for those VII" Affect European
| tastes, but they are watcry and lnSlpld' Inc
tobacco which IL raised in abundance. Is not liked
| by foreigners but the natives hnd q use Tor
all they raise A. only two whlllS are taken from
| a pipe, and the remainder OF the tobacco Is thea
tarped out the statistics giving the amount Of
tobacco; which is raised in abundance, is not hkct
| is something startling TIE japanese raise barley.
wheat mct rye, beans, rapc~Sccl, c2s plant
lilies and dialonS for local usc, and silk. tea and
rice for cXportltion.