San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1892-05-20
a LAND OF TINY FARMS.
How the rseming Millions OF Jiplu
arc Fed and Clothed.

arc red ana Clothed.
The economic problem of how To re-
Iieve the pressure of an increasing
population upon limited means of sub
sistence has not yes been solved in Ja-
pan. A temporary. If not perma-
neat relief is promised in the attempt
oil tho government TO encourage emf
grafton to foreign countries. Already
thousands have settled in the Haw-
allan and other islands of the Pacific.
Japan is so cut up by mountain
ranges and almost impossible Gifts
that only about one-eighil of tho
whole area is suitable for operation
The country is so small and the popu
tatiou so great that the wonder IS that
the people have managed to exist at
all But to the fact that they have
lived and thrived 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 in
ages past But Notwithstanding the
power of resistance which is charac-
teristic of the people there must be
limit to their en- lurance. The
rapid increase of the population.
together with the drain upon the re-
sources of the country, would surely
in few years have resulted in moth
ing less than a contest with scarcity.
II not an actual fight against famine.
But for the present at least the
calamity has been averted by the en-
igration of thousands of coolies
which has proven tho best thing not
only for Japan and the emigranls
themselves. but for the new coun-
tries The decrease OF population in
the Pacific islands makes it impossi-
BILE to obtain necessary and efficient
labor at home and the recruiting OF
the industrial forces by the energetic
and skilled japanese agricultural
laborers is just what is needed
Large companies are emigratins
nearly every month under contract
to remain from three to five years
Owing to the demand for labor and
the efficiency Of the japanese. the
terms Of the contract are particularly
easy. The expenses of the voyage
both ways are generally paid. and
the emigrant 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 to Japan. and just
how great the exodus will become
within the next few years may de-
pend largely upon the inducements
offered
TO an outsider 1t would seem ex.
pedient for the government to bring
the island of Yeso under cultivation
The great drawback IS the climate.
which is much colder than that of the
rest Of the empire. japanese dwell
ings are not built to withstand severe
cold. and the natives have made no
attempt to make a change in the old
forms OF dwelling structures.
The land under cultivation in Japan
is about IS, 600 900 acres, upon the
product of which fl. 600, co. must be
fed. 1t Is UNNECESSARY 10 add that
the farms are small. The average
farm is from ore to three acres and a
ten acre plot is considered 4 large
farm So many things are done on
the diihinutiye scale in Japan Space
utilizing and territory saving has been
reduced to d fine art