Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-02-14
MINIATURE FARMS.
HOW JAPAN'S TEEMING MIL
LIONS ARE FED.
A Ten Acre Plot is Considered q
Large Farm-Caretui Methods OF
Planting and Raising Crops
The Principal Food.
IL the land under civilization


~ acres, upon the product ol
e. which Al 900, 600 must be fed.
1t Is unnecessary to add that the farms
are small. The average farm is from
one to three acres, aud ten-acre plot is
considered large farm. So many thingS
| are done on the diminutiye scale in
Japan. Space utilizing AMI territory
saving has bcea reduced to a fine art
After surveying the Japanese fields and
| gardens it is easy to understand how
dwarfng in horticulture originated ages
ago in this country. the method so
| long regarded by other nations as a
secret, was resorted to as matter of ex-
pediency, if not of necessity, for the
limited space would not otherwise have
permitted a variety of growths.
The methods of cultivation, the sue
cession of crops, and even the kind of
machinery used, are the sane as they
were nearly 2000 years ago. In sp.ie of
tie agricultural limitations. no country
in the world produces 50 much per acre
as Japan. The limit of cultivation was
reached long ago, but by judicious use
of fertilizers, and skill IN farming that
amounts almost to a genius, the same
average yield is obtainable year after
year.
The land is well suited to irrigation,
and the water, which is regarded as i'm.
pure by fastidious Europeans, is abundant.
Most of the land is made up of plains,
whose surface is well drained, being
washed by the water falling upon the
! hills and ranges from the back. The
mum, ,rous rivers and water courses which
tross the plains on their way to the sea
hre utilized for purposes of irrigation.
trhe water is drawn to high elevations
from which it overhows the land in
ehannels.
. In April the crops are in a hourishing
condition, and wheat, barley, rape and
corn form the principal part All the
fields are planted with mathematical
precision, for the element of accuraa y
enters into every act of the farmer, aud
the fields must be pleasing in appear
ance. The cereals are astonishingly regu-
Tar in position and growth. And even
the ears OF corn appear in line as they
come out. The cereals, whether planted
in single or double rows, grow in clus-
ters of several stems, each cluster being
exactly in line; SO that the eye detects
no irregularities whatever. Seed is too
valuable TO waste and only rice is scat
tered broadcast. -Four or five grains of
corn are planted together upon ridges
equal distances apart, and generally in
rows. The intervening space is utilized
for growing beans, which are so planted
that they can get space and light without
injury to the other crops. Land is so
valuable that no space is allowed for
grass plots, and it is a 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 lit
tie show of growing to maturity. So
thoroughly have the japanese got tho
mastery of these pests that the soil
is entirely free from every trace of
then. The climate and the warm, hu-
mid atmosphere are particularly favora-
be to the growth of rusts and other
parasite forms, but they have also en-
tirely disappeared from the fields of ia
pan. 4 few narrow paths are made in
the fields where absolutely necessary, but
there are no roads, and consequently no
room for wheeled vehicles or machines.
Almost all the work of cultivation is
done by hand, and the tools are models
of simplicity. The tool used for cut
ting barley or wheat consists Of sharp
blade placed at right angles to the shaft,
which is about two feet long. The corn
is cut very carefully, so that the adjoin-
ing plants are not injured. Threshiug,
too, is a tedious process. There is no
room in the fields for drying sheaves, for
the ground must be used Immediately
after harvest for other crops. The corn
sheaves are tied up in bunches and Sc
curefy fastened to houses, fences and
trees. The ears are always downwnward,
so tEat the rain may run off. During the
harvest season the caves and verandahs
of every village house are stacked about
with neat bundles of grain that will be
beaten out as soon as dry. The ears are
Knocked against pole, placed few feet
above the ground, and the grain falls
upon the mats placed below to receive it.
The cereals are put through a sort of
primitive winnower, or thrown up for
the wind to carry away the husks.
Buuches Of corn or rice straw are drawn
through hackles and gathered upon mats
The rice straw is used in the manufac-
ture of a tough paper that has great
sale in Japan.
In July the fields are made ready for
the rice, after being properly banked up
aud irrigated. Rice is a staple, but is
regarded as luxury among the farmers,
being used only on holidays or in case Of
Illness. II 4 patient Is in critical con-
i.tion he is permitted to have rice.
What, 50 i'll that he must have ricel"
IS asked in sympathy, aud the patients
case is indeed alarming when this grain
is resorted to as diet.
Sericulture is of course an important
industry and affords employment for
women and children. The Japan Sc
cocoon is excelled in quality only BY the
French. In July the cocoons may be
seen hanging about the houses to Try
after they have been removed from the
branches of the mulberry. Beans of
many varieties are raised, for they grow
easily, and form principal artic e of
food, whether green, half ripe, matured
or dry. Bean meal, bean curd aud bean
sonp are relished by the japanese. The
principal article of diet is mulet, and il
is the most easily grown Of all the cereals
A good quality of cotton is also raised
aud Is used more for the manufacture Of
:he famous crepes than for anything else.
Root crops, such as beet, potato or
;urnip, are raised sparingly. Potatoes
ire cultivated for the benefit of
Europeans, or for those who affect Euro
1ean tastes, but they are wstery and in
ipid. The tobacco. which is raised in
abundance, is no: liked by foreign ers,
but the natives tird use for all they
-aise. As only two whiffs are taken
from pipe, and the remainder of the
-. =. 81 .,