Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1900-09-27
OUR PARIS EXPOSITION LETTER
Rapid Advancement Of the Japanese Race.
a ACountry ofSmali
farms.
CFrom Our Regular Correspondent
PARIs, September 3. 1900.

. |
J, tFrom Our Regular Correspondent
PARIS, September 3, 1900.
The Japanese agricultural exhibit at
o tracts attention not only on account o
its novelty, but also because OF tn,
development in this line, as in so man,
other directions, Of this remarkable
Eastern people. "rhe wonderful trans
, formation OF the Empire OF the Risins
, sun has offered an example, without
precedent in the history Of nations. of 1
people passing in less than thirty year,
from the most feudal OF governments
TO democratic and parliamentary forms'
from civilization rusty with age TO one
closely resembling our own" says a
French writer, In recently published
book on Japan. His observation is az
true OF the agricultural institutions as Of
the other changes impressed upon the
social organization OF Japan since 1868.
A visitor can easily trace the revolution
in economic conditions of agriculture by
examining, in the hall on the Champ
do Mars, the maps, photographs, papers.
diagrams, etc. which accompany the
collection OF Japanese products. The
working people have especially bene-
fitted Of recent years, having acquired
the right to own the soil, which for
eighteen centuries had been the prop
erty OF the Imperial government or Of
ieudal segneurs.
Japan is composed, as Is well known,
OF a considerable number Of islands Of
more or less Importance, scattered from
the South in h.westerly direction,
Mountains cover the country and almost
touch the shores every where; plains are
rearely found aud are Of small extent.
The soil Is not very productive, and Il Is
necessary TO use all OF the sewage Of the
towns and cities for iertilizlng purposes.
The total size OF the land Is little less
than that OF France, or about the same
as the State OF California. This sup
ports a population OF over 10000, 600.
the native inhabitants forming about
forty three and quarter millions, OF
this number. The people are essenti-
ally agricultural. and rice is the chief
product OF the soil. Counting the
number Of acres under cultivation, and
the number Of inhabitants, it Is found
that each family has on an average 3
acres from which to draw sustenancc.
Evidently, Japan is country Of small
farms, and lie not adapted to the use OF
large agricultural machinery. The pop
ulation. also, is SO dense that hand labor
is very cheap, Workmen's wages
are about $l6 per year, women earning
about half that amount.
There is very little live stock In Japan
the use ef meat and milk by the natives
being extremely rare. There are now
800, 900 horses in the country, 1,l25,-
900 head Of cattle, 100, 900 pigs, 40, 900
goats and $4,000 sheep. The govern
ment lie endeavoring TO extend the use
OF the horse IN agriculture, In order, per
hsps, that the army may have better
source Of supply. The horse Is small
animal, but his employment for agrl.
cultural purposes would be even cheaper
than hand labor. Oxen are also uniili- |
zed to small extent; the Japanese OK |
weighs 500 pounds; he eau draw 500
pounds twelve miles day.
Besides rice, wheat, barley, potatoes,
cotton, tea. indigo, sugarcane, camphor
etc. are cultivated In Japan. The
government is endeavorirg in every way
to increase the surface OF land adapted
for cultivation and TO improve the pro.
ducts, In order TO ameliorate the con-
dition OF the poorer classes, Japan has
department OF agriculture; agricultural
instruction Is branch OF the depart.
ment Of education; experiment grounds
and stations, agronomical institutions,
agricultural schools aud societies,
travelling professors, laboratories, In
short, best Of foreign institutions and |
methods have been introduced and
prosper In Japan. Agricultural banks
companies for buying and loaning farm
implements at common expense, central
bureau for sales OF the products Of the
soil, etc, are TO be- found on all OF IA.
islands fhc government Is building |
roads, reclaiming land, draining ana
iuigaiing; II believes that scientiHr
Institutions and cooperation form the
two most powerful factors in nagacnllural
progress.
A section OF the exposition Of inleres,
TO Americans since the date Of ou,
acquisitions la the Philippines, il Tia,
devoled 10 cords aud cables, Ia Hs mucl,
a. the best material for these articles
comes FROM our Pacific possession
Many other products are, however, used
Tor this purpose. There ase shown here
cords made Of The same kind Of linen
'nA' ls useu Tor hne textiles; these are
only Tor ornamental purposes, aud wear
very poorly. Cotton is also utilized iu
The same manner, Jute gives very
unsatisfactory results; the ropes are
very apt 10 bfeake where they are tied.
tainie, or China grass IL better, and IL
coming into general uss. Aloe fibsr
obtained from The leaves Of the Amer.
'an agaye, or century plant. Ia popular
or the reason that rop,s made there.
rom hoat on water, which makes then,
'ery useful at sea. Esparto g.asr.
'hofnium ienax, OF New Zealand far
product Of the banana tree, aud
'ocoanut fiber are more Or less utilized
n the manufacture Of cordage. How.
'ye' hemp is hora eoneouss for this class
u work. A good hawser should MAJ