New-York tribune., 1899-03-28
AGRTCTT7TRE IN FAR EAST.
OBSERVATIONS IN JAPAN. CHINA AND
THE PHILIPPINES.
CONDITIONS REPORTED BY DIR. KNAPP. OF DE
PARTMENT OF AGRICTLTURE-oPPoR-
TI-NrTIFS IN LTZON.

TJNITlEs IN LJZON.
Washington March 27.-Dr A. Knapp. VINO
was sen, by the Dcpartmcn, Of Agriculture TO
Japan China ara the Philippines an agricult'
ura. explorer has returned TO Washington ana re-
ported 10 Secretary Wilson the results of his abor
lIe was instructed 10 Investigate such products OF
the farms fields and forests Of those countries as
might be Of advantage 10 the agricultural III
dustres Of the United States Some Of the OBJ
seryatons Of Dr. Knapp relating to the products OF
Japan have already been published in prelimi-
nary report on this branch Of Investigation how
, ever he has the following additional to say:
An fear OF competition from japan along agri-
cultural lines may be dismissed. on the contrary.
It must become a large consumer Of farm products
| drawn from the United States. The diffusion OF
knowledge and the introduction OF new industries
I'm Japan have had the effect OF more than doubling
the cost OF labor in the last ten years and In pro
portion. Of stimulating consumption by the com
mon people
Future progress must be mainly made In the
direction Of manufactures. In such event the fo'd
for the opera ives the cotton and other fibre ma
terial for the fabrics the lumber and iron for the
| construction Of the factories and much ~ the
machinery Will De drawn from the United States.
'Of the fabrics. cotton and wool alone have made
much progress under the factory system. and ms
is owing 10 the fact that they were not produced
! 10 any extent in the empire. and hence no home
system Of manufacture had been established FOR
/ them.
VALUE or FOOD IMPORTS N JAPAN.
The principal agricultural products imported by
Japan are wheat -four. sugar cotton. butter.
! cheese and meat The annual value Of these ar
tices Is at present between &4or"0 and |ztr""'
I'm gold. Under favorable treaty regulations Japan
Will import from the United States nearly all her
-four. butter cheese and meat. t1r"o-foufihs OF me
raw cotton required. and from the faiipplhes
no 70
/ Regarding China. the report says The great
| area the large per cent OF fertile lands. ana ihe
! enormous population OF China. stagger the onse'
the threshold Of Investigation. Here. now
ever. i'm Japan radical changes in ngricuitural
| methods or products must be made slowly. II al
| ALL because the food supply cannot be- materially
| reduced or even changed with safety. Large areas
devoted TO fibre plants for the promotion of manu-
| factures would ho a dangerous invasion Of tho
! areas necessary for the food supply. and must De
! speedily followed by imporations from the United
! States Or Knapp deeply impressed hy m"
alert industrious and frugal character Of the
! Chinese.
AGRICULTURE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
From China Dr. Knapp proceeded to the philip
| pines Arriving at Manila he went by rail as far
| as san Fernando. passing through the rice section
TO the east and north ~ Manila. on % the sugar
! lands TO the north The yield 10 an acre. accord
ing 10 the best authorities. he found 20 h" about
one thousand pounds Of huiled rice on lands under
rainfall irrigation solely and two thousand pounds
on lands artifciaily irrigated. showing careless
hushandry.
Dr Knapp further says:
"The rich clay loan soil about san Fernando IS
well adapted to suFar-cane. In Luzon the methods
Of sugar farming are different from those pracusfd
crudest conceivable The sugar is drained upon the
open kettle plan The proprietor furnishes land ana
snnpliee 1most Of the hands for making the sugar
ne rlYgr .f
tho molasses. The tenant in theory. is allowed the
T6ai Tf6@anqeT %hs PIX m d 5S'G 5S In pS f5 islands Of
Tauay Ncgros and Cebu Tho sugar farms ana
factories are much more improved than IN Luzon
Sugar lands produce from three thousand 10 eiSht
thousand pounds an acre depend ng upon me cuiiu-
as much attention to the production Of nitrogenous
foods the japanese, and hence are less muscular
SOME OF THE VALUABLE PRODUCTS.
Spanish statistical reports and interviews with
Manila exporters showed the prosperity Of the
tobacco and hemp industries under normal condi-
tens and millet maize. sago and indigo DO well
and are ordinarily profitable crops. Philippine
coffee. Of which there were formerly many planta-
tions has a peculiarly rich and pleasant flavor.
Cocoanuts pineapplcs. oranges. bananas grapes
ncs and many other fruits grow almost spontane-
ousy.
The Philippine Islands abound IN valuable wood
for building furniture. dye woods and some yield
irg costly gums According 10 the best anthorliy =;
passes to the United States with the tue II
opened for settlement TO soldiers many ~ our
young men vii remain ana become permanent
settlers Some associations Of this kind have all
ready been organized: The price Of improved land
ranges from 81 TO $50 an acre IN tolo. uepehalhs
upon the location and value Of the improvements.
Reports OF the observatory at Manila show that
the average rainfall FOR me last thlIiy |eaIr mas
been 75G4 inches The temperature Is uniform
averaging for the last eighteen years q degrees
for January. the coolest month. and Ss degrees
for May the warmest month. Within that period
the Thermometer only once rose 10 100 degrees, ane
once fell 20 704 degrees
Prominent Fnlpinos assured Dr. Knapp mat
1r1. frtfe 50 us
and thrifty and II encouraged. these conditions
would become genera. visit 10 the carpenter
shops machine shops and various small factories
satisfied him that the Fnpinos made good mectan-
ics when properly trained.