The evening times., 1899-12-13
gions the proportion o, soil devoted to them

gions the proportion OF soil devoted to them
is very great.
THE peanut is extensively cultivated
throughout northern China, and is said to
have been an importation from abroad. 1t
fourishes best on sandy soil. of which there
is an unlimited supply. When the nuts are
matured, the farmer knows no other way
Of getting them all than to pass the whole
superficial area of his farm through wire
screen. Even then there are many nuts left
in the ground. which are gathered by hogs
turned loose for the purpose. The peanut
oil is an important and increasing article
of commerce, and the profit from the crop
is said to be greater than from almost any
other.
Opium is grown in considerable areas
in various parts of northern China. but
statistics of the production are not availa-
Bile. In some regions the quantity is prob
ably increasing while in others it seems
to be practically stationary. The profit is
larger than on food crops, but the injury
dane by the withdrawal Of so much pro-
ductiye land amid such a dense population
is very great. albeit entirely unappreciated
by the Chinese.
None of the crops thus far mentioned is
OF greater Importance than cotton. which
is found in certain districts in the prov
irces here referred to. 1t grows on the
! light soils, but not on the dark ones, and
occupies very important place in Chinese
economy. IL the spring is a particularly
dry one, the cotton crop cannot be planted
at all. or if ii is put in the lack of rain
may destroy all the seeds. A year in
which there is an amount Of moisture suffi-
cient for the grain crops is too wet for the
best cotton. and. on the other hand. ysar
when food crops are a failure may be a
good one for this great staple. The cotton
plant is very unlike the stalwart growth of
the cotton States OF Amsrica, being often
only foot or more high. The boil is not
much larger than an English walnut. and
the amount OF the staple in each is trihing.
Yet almost all the clothing for the hundreds
of millions of the Chinese race has come
from this Insignificant source
AS market gardeners. the Chinese ex-
Gel. They have the infinite patience which
is able to tire out the hosts OF insect foes
always lying in wait for the farmer, and
they have a large variety Of vegetables
which they assiduously cultivate. They
are very fond of melons. and these are so
cheap and abundant as to bring them with
In reach of the poorest people.
The Chinese have for ages understood
the art of grating. Their orchards are a
source of great profit and are tended with
ceaseless patience and care 10 protect the
crop from insects. birds. and the still more
dreaded human thieves Fruit Is always
picked before it is ripe. 10 lessen the dan
ger OF losing it altogether and to make it
easier of transport. Now that railways
have been introduced to some extent there
is no reason why fruit crops should not be
brought 10 a profitable market. At Chefoo.
the late DR.. Nevins did much to introduce
fruits of fine flavor and TO teach the
Chinese how to care for the orchards. The
results have been evident within certain
districts. but TO an extent far less than
land.
Chinese agriculture. like everything
Chinese, illustrates the talent OF this race
for doing almost everything by means of
almost nothing. They fatally lack initi-
atiye; but il new methods are forced upon
their attention, they may be persuaded TO
adopt them. and. once having done so. they
will not again give them up. Efforts to
introduce American cotton and other for
eign seeds have generally been a failure,
owing 10 the reluctance of the Chinese to
use them. and especially to the fact that
the seeds themselves do not produce the re-
suits which they did in their native soil
The cotton plant grows TO luxuriant
height. but it has no bolls The same has
sometimes been found to be the case with
a magnificent stalk. but few or no ears.
Whether this would be universal expert
ence is not certain. but there is every prob
ability that the seed would have 10 be i'm
ported at least every few years"