The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-02-25
The VARIOUS JAPANESE INDUSTRIES

TOXIC, Feb. 25.--The principal occupa-
.iion OF the mass Of Japanese is agriculture.
Because Of the volcanic nature and noun
famous condition Of the country, large
tracts are not tillable. In general the
coil Is not very fertile. It can be made
80 ariifcialiy. There are tracts Of arabic
land in Ye2o and Formosa that could be
made to return immense crops il Western
methods were applied. II the crops fail,
suffering ensucs. The prosperity Of the
land depends upon the crops.
The japanese farms would be called gar
dens in the United States Like Japan
they may well be called vest-pocket edi.
lions. The japanese farmer seldom hires
labor. His family eultivates the land, and
in addition helps produce silk, indigo and
tobacco. Landed proprietors are scarce.
A farmer Is an insignificant person. The
owner OF a farm Of FIVE "cho," equal to
- acres, realizes from 100 to 100 "yen,"
equal TO $50 or $780, a yen" being worth
S04535 The Jap farmer is interested In
little outside Of his farm and the question
OF taxation. For the land tax Of 3A per
cent OF the assessed value of the land
amounts TO almost one-half the national
revenue.
Rice is the chief product Of the farm,
but barley, wheat. millet, maize, beans,
peas, potatoes, turnips, carrots, melons,
eggplant, huckwheat, onions and beets are
produced. The average yield is so bushels
to the acre. The annual production of
rice varies, but 40,OO0,0O0 "koku' is the
average. One "koku" equals 49629 bush
els.
~ ...-...t ....<.f.A.-.. II =. .-....-..
20 from $500 900 ''yen' to 10, 600 600 'yen.
or from 81, 10000 to $5,OOO,OOO. The fruits
and nuts include pears, peaches, oranges,
figs. persimmons, apricots, bananas, grapes
plums, loquats, strawberries, apples, pea
nuts, ehestnuts, etc.
Tea, tobacco and mulberry trees are i'm.
portant articles of export. Tea is cultivat-
ed extensively in the middle and southern
districts. The annual production is about
100000 "kwan,v equal to about 66 900 600
pounds. The export trade reaches 5000 900
"yen," or $4o00,o00. Tea sells from 5
cents TO SO pound. The finest is raised
at Uji, near Kyoto.
The Jap drinks tea at all times--at meals
and between meals. Hot water is ready
TO brew tea at moments notice. Smok-
ing is almost universal Tobacco was in.
PRODUCED by the Portuguese and although
at first forbidden, was adopted slowly
but surely.
Japan's silk industry is the most import.
ant of the foreign trade and is increasing
IL Is sent from here to European and
American markets chiefly in the raw but
il Is also manufactured into handkerchiefs
and other articles. The export of silk
amounts TO about one-fifth of the export
trade.
Cotton spinning is growing rapidly. The
cloth is used by those who cannot afford
silk clothing. Although large cotton
crop is raised, ii never meets the demand
and large quantities are imported from the
United, States and India Hand spinning
was superseded recently by machinery, and
at present there are close to 100 mills
Some are small, but in Osaka, Nagoya and
IN this city there are large, aourishing
mills.
Ordinary workmen get from 10 to 20
sen" a day. A sen is worth half
cent American money Skilled workmen
make from 80 to 40 ''sen," and girls from
10 to 20 sen The stockholders declare
dividends Of from 10 to 20 per cent.
Since acquiring Formosa from China,
japan has added another valuable product.
This is the camphor tree and she has
corner on the worlds supply. OF late cam
phor has gone up rs cents gallon. The
business is in the hands of an English
firm, which pays high price for lease
on the camphor belt.
The most useful product is bamboo,
which Is used for almost everything. With
such long coast lines il is natural that
fishing should be one of the principal occu.
pations and that seaweed, fish and other
marine products should be common diet.