Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-11-17

OF 4 Large wheel constructed Of BAN.
boo. that Indispensable Of Chinese
life. A Il sometimes 10 feet high and
Is moved by the current Ia the stream
whence the water is derived. When
the buckets attached TO il reach GER
tain height. they discharge their con-
tents into troughs or bitches. Some
times bamboo pipes are used to con-
ysy the water directly to The place
where il is needed The chain pune
consists OF an endless chain running
up from the water at an angle and
holding many small buckets. This
Is worked either by the water buffalo
or by man moving il by means of
treadle. There are many other ways
OF irrigation, but there isn't steam
pump Ia the entire counssv of so many
millions OF farmers. and. what II more
10 the point their ingrained consersa-
tism and ignorance would not allow
II TO be used If there were one.
In agriculture, as In all things else.
China Is still the 'land of contradict
tons Hopelessly benighted in meth
DDS of farming, in results in some
branches they far surpass the rest of
the world Through the long course
of ages they have succeeded IN devel-
oping some varieties of grain that are
harder than any grown in America
and fruits that for lusciousness cannot
be surpassed or equaled. In some
parts of Chill province are grown
peach trees that are said by travellers
to be the most hardy and prolific bear
ers of large and delicious fruit in the
world. 0ur agricultural department
has AT NJ mn agent In China for
the pal f IL obtaining cuttings Of
IL !. considerable anxiety Is
fos. fCl 49,. ID ae has not been heard
fr1 a ~ sl months. The shrewd
Ch.n@N ~ aid their secrets Well
They PCS, a method Of preserving
grapes ia, would be worth fortune
to American lIuit growers, but thus
far efforts to obtain the secret have
been unavailing. they are able TO
grow wheat az an elevation OF 1900
feet, while in this country 5000 feet.
and that In torrid Arizona. Is tile limit.
From Chinese Turkestan we have oh.
tanned Turkestan alfalfa. an excellent
forage plant, and the winter mush
melon, equal or superior 10 anything
grown In the United States. Though
they are centuries behind us In meth
DDS, in results American farmers have
still something to learn from their
Chinese brethren.
Chinese farmers do not, as with us.
generally live on their farms They
reside in the villages and go out daily
with all the available members of their
families to till the fields. The villages
are walled and are densely crowded.
Land in China belongs, theoretically, to
the crown and pays a light tax into the
Imperial treasury, the annual tax be-
ing about $3.50 per acre. Otherwise
the land Is handed down, as With us. in
regular succession from father to son.
In the course Of time much minute
subdivision has taken place. Owner
ship In land Is considered the safest
investment. as being less liable to dis
turbance than others. But the Chi
nese farmers lot, even when he owns
his land, is not always tranquil. As liz
well known, John Chinaman Is the
original ''jiner" and has natural, In
cradicabe propensity for associations
and societies Of all kinds. Judge of
the lot of the Chinese farmer by the
fact that many Chinese villages have
crop watching" societies. No variety
of fruit or vegetable is safe from the
hands of marauders, who steal the
growing crops from the fields. The
farmers therefore are compelled to hire
men to watch their fields, and not In
frequently the unhappy farmer finds
both crop and watcher gone In the
morning or when returning from
different part of the field.
Much more might be written about
Chinese agriculture, for there are many
interesting and strange features of the
occupation. AS market gardeners tie
Chinese are excellent. for they possess
untirng industry and patience They
go so far as to pick Off insects by hand.
OF live stock in China no general state
ments may safely be made. for in the
diversity of climate and situation Of so
great an empire much variation is nee
essarily encountered. In the north
donkeys, mules. horses. cows and other
animals are to be met, while in the
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