The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-07-03
REPORTS FROM CONSULS
AROUND THE WORLD

WHEAT AND FLOUR IN MANCHU-
RIA-Consul Henry B. Miller. at
NiuCbwang, writing April 20, 1907,
reports:
The modern Touring mills with Amer
lean machinery have recently been con-
strUcted at Hardin, enc with caDacitv
Of go barrels and the other of 500 bar
rels a day. They are operated by Rus
sian milIe-s. and the product is said to
be very satisfactory. The build ngs are
covered with American iron roofing.
The -four from these mills is going
into the markets Of Manchuria in com
petition with flour from the United
States.
The soil Of the larger part of Manchu-
ria and Mongolia is Of a sedimentarv
formation. many feet in depth. and very
productive While I have not been able
to secure an analysis, I am satisfied
that il contains the same elements for
wheat production as the Columbia River
basin. in the United States I inclose
q sample Of the best wheat that I have
yet found in Manchuria.
The winters are very cold. freezing
the ground 10 q depth Of several feet;
but this thaws out in April. and by the
middle Of the month the fields are cuI-
tivated as easily as beds of ashes
Spring rains are sufficient to start the
grain well, and during July the rains
are very heavy, always providing suifi-
cient moisture for the maturing Of
crops. Famines are therefore not fea-
lures Of this section. During the ma
turing and harvesting period the season
is dry. The winters are also very dry.
The country Is cultivated in large
tracts. mules and ponies being used.
have seen as many as six mules pulling
9 single pillow. The plows are cheap and
crude and blowing is always shallow.
Harvesting and thrashIng are done by
the hand methods common in other parts
of China The roads in winter are very
good. and the Chinese can haul grain
great distances at very low cost.
The mills are able to secure wheat at
Is. cents Der &c. I12 pounds-about half a
cent gold per pound-and the supply at
this price is unlimited Three grades
OF -four are produced here, and it is sold
at the following rates: First grade,
81 "a per 50-pOund sack; second. $l.21;
third 90 cents The bran Is sold for II
cents foT IS pounds
Hardin IS situated on the River Sun
gari. at the point where the Chinese
Eastern Railway joins the Central Man
churian and where the latter crosses
The river The Central Manchurian runs
to Viadivostock. about $50 miles away
The Chinese Eastern Railway reaches
the sea a. Niuchwang, at q distance Of
about $50 miles. and Dalny and Port
Arthur at Geo miles The River Sungari
is navigabIe for half Of the year for
steamboats, that ply from Hardin to
Harbarroysk where they meet ocean
going vessels.
II Touring mills continue to Increase
in number. there is a probability Of q
market for American plows and harvest
ing and JhTashing machinery through
out this section. As mules are used in
cultivation and hauling and as the land
is cultivated in large tracts and the
country is not thickIy populated. 10
gTea5 change would be required to bring
about the use Of machinery. The great
est difficulty VIII be 10 provide tools Of
a sufficiently cheap type. a fairly good
pillow that could he sold at a zery low
cost might find a market in Hardin now;
but its primary Characteristic must be
cheapness.