The progressive farmer., 1900-05-22


how the farmers on the other side of
the globe manage their business.
And to give your readers a glimpse
at their methods, I send herewith an
extract from a report by Consul
Martin, of Chinkiang, China, just re
ceived at the Department of State
here. Very truly yours,
B.
Washington, D. G.
Farming is not carried on in large
way here in the Celestial Empire.
Farms ranging from half an acre to
five acres constitute the large and
small holdings; it is clear they do
not require reapers, mowers, thrash
ing machines or steam plows. The
Chinese dead seem to have pre-emp-
ton rights over all the hills and hill
sides, leaving only the plains and
valleys to the hving-even these are
encroached upon by the coffins of
past generations.
The people build dikes of mud, in
closing, say, half an acre each, often
making them from three to six feet
high, to receive and retain the spring
rains. Into the water they go
men. women, and Children-and
work until their little farm is planted
in rice. Most of their time after the
spring rains are over is spent in
treading the carrier pumps or bring
ING water and pouring ON the rice
plants until the harvest time comes.
[ have no doubt hoes, rakes, shOvels,
and cheap hand rice hullers would
find a market here, for the Ameri-
can implements are as far ahead of
what they use as a diamond is supe-
rior to a sandstone.
The localities where wheat or bar
lev is raised have farms about the
same size. Theplow is light affair
made of a crooked stick, with a
steel point fastened to it, and is
pulled by water buffalo, a kind of
half breed between Texan cattle and
the western buffalo. Because he
loves to wallOw in the water, with
his nose, eyes, and ears above that
element, he is called water buffalo.
When he is used for plOwing, they
attach a rope to the machine and
slip a loop around his neck; being
powerful and the plOwing being shall
low. he pulls the plOw with the rope
on only one side. They plant
wheat lust as we would plant corn !;
they do not SOW it. As it begins to
show above ground, they gather up
all the human excrement they can,
mix it with water, and scatter it
over the growing grain or vegetables
to force their growth.
When harvest time comes, men
and women take "a blade, inserted in
short handle at an angle Of about
l1a.. and proceed to cut the grain,
bind it carefully, and carry it to the
tlra~hing floor near their buildings.
This floor Is a hard, beaten spot of
-round about 20 feet in diameter.
The water buffalo, muzzled and at
tarhcd to Il stone roller, tramps and
rolls the grain out of the ear. After
the thrashing is done, they throw
wheat and chaff in the air and allow
the wind to blow the chaff away.
When the wheat is thus winnOwed,
they gather it up, put it into bags
and pound what they need for use IN
"a Stone mortar.
I think scythes, small hand thrash
or~. tanning mills, and some cheap
apparatus for grinding would find a
large market here in time.
WIN. MARTIN, Consul.
Nh1nkiang, China, Feb. 10, 1900.
This item from the Texas Farm
an5 Ranch is worth a moment 5
Thought: A neighbor rented TWEEN
~ acres to negro, who was to
commence work at a certain date,
oUc did not show up. He was called
"n for an explanation. III be dar
iu~tof week after mex shore, Cap n.
Bur T4 1iI not cpTon a all and II