The evening times., 1900-04-16
AGRICULTURE IN CHINA.
Consul Martin Writes From ChinISi-
anE of Oriental Practices.

anE of Oriental Practices
William Martin. United States Consul at
Chinkiang. China. writes as follows to the
State Department:
i am in receipt of a communication from
leading manufacturers Of agricultural i'm
plements in Illinois. requesting me TO send
list OF dealers in agricultural implements
in Chinkiang with a view to the intro
duction Of these articles into this portion
Of China. There being no such dealers in
Chinkang-the agricultural conditions not
warranting such-I request the depart
ment to publish my reply to the Illinois
people in Consular Reports. ana thus, per-
haps, save our manufacturers OF a5nenl-
tural machines and implements a go-d deal
Of useless expense and labor.
Farming is not carried on in a large
way here. Farms ranging from half an
acre to five acres constitute the large and
small holdings; it is clear they do not re-
quire reapers. mowers threshing ma
chimes, or steam rlows. The Chinese dead
seem to have pre-emption rights oveI all
the hills and hillsides. leaving only the
plains and valleys TO the Iiving-eycn these
are encroached upon by the cofins OF past
generations.
THE people build dikes Of mud. euclos-
ing. say. half an acre each. often making
them from three 10 six feet high. 10 re-
ceiye and retain the spring rains Into the
water they go-men. women. and children
and work until their little farm is plant
ed IN rice. Most of their time after the
spring rains are over is spent In treading
the carrier pumps or bringing water and
pouring lt On the rice plants until the haT-
vest time comes. / have 20 doubJ hoes.
rales shovels. and cheap hand rice hullers
would find market here. for the Ameri
can implements are as far ahead OF what
they use as a diamond Is superior 20 q
sandstone.
The localities where wheat or barley q
raised have farms about the same size, Tee
pillow is a light affair made OF a crooked
stick. with a steel point fastened to q.
and is pulled by water buffalo, kind Of
haif-brecd between Texan cattle and TIE
Western buffalo. Because he loves ID wa
low In the water, with his nose. eyes. and
ears above that element he is ca!le1
water buffalo When be is used for piow-
ing. they attach a rope 20 the ma-hine and
slip loop around his neck: being powerful
and the plOWinE being shallow. he pulls
the p!ow with rope on only
one side. They plant wheat jest
as we do corn. they 90 not fOE
IT, As IL begins to show above Ound.
they gather Up all the human excrement
they can, mix IL with water. and scatter
it over the growing grain or vegetables
TO force their growth.
When harvest time comes men and
women take blade. inserted I'm a short
handle a. an angle Of about A. degrees. acd
proceed 10 cut the grain. bind 70 carefully.
and carry it SO the thrcshirg focr rear
their buildings. This floor Is a hare. belt-
en- spot OF ground about twenty feet in di-
ametre. The water buffalo. Iau-zIed ard
attached TO a stone roller, tramFs and rolls
the grain Ouj Of the ear. After the tlresh-
inG is done, they throw wheat and chat in
the air and ailog the wind % b'oN the
chan away When the wheat is thus wiz
moved. they gather IL up. PAT IL into tags.
and pound what they need for use in a
stone mortar.
i think scythes. small hand thTeshers.
tanning mills, and some cheap apparatus
Tor grinding would find q .arge marke.
here lu time Do