The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-06-08
VENTURE OF JAPANESE
Details of Scheme For Agricul-
tural Colony In Texas.
NINE THOUSAND ACRES SELECTED

One Thousand japanese Farmers to
Occupy the Tract In Texas Pros
poets OF the CoIonists Said to BE
Very Promising.
An interesting description of the ag-
-.~a,tural possibilities of the United
safes, and especially of Texas, has
.,,'a SENT to the state department by
s: tc,. States Consul Fisher at Tam
-. t2rnosa, says Washington dis
..ci 70 the New York Tribune. Trans
i,".- ana quoting literally from the
jat1aEese press, Mr.. Fisher relates that
N.iiza buro Gada, who is engaged in ag-
'.V,,.sure on the cosst of Formosa and
who visited the United States last fall,
las selected nearly 5000 acres Of agri-
cultural land in Texas and expects to
bring approximately q thousand Japa-
nese farmers to the United States to
occupy the land.
Mr.. Fisher sends the following trans
lation of an interview with Mr.. Gada,
which appeared in Japanese paper:
Farming is the only enterprise that
1t seems can be proftably undertaken
In America by the Japanese. In the
manufacturing industries the Ameri-
cans are using large capital and extern
sive machinery and are making every
effort to reduce the cost Of production.
The progress in the economical use of
machinery is very conspicuous, but in
! agriculture they are unable to employ
these methods and therefore do not
! question the comparatively high prices
| for vegetables and grains they con-
sumo. The reason seems to be their
absolute devotion to the manufacturing
industries, which leaves them no time
| to consider other enterprises. It is
therefore in agriculture that the Japa-
| nese in America are most likely to
meet with success.
! 1.-THE total area Of the uncultivated
regions in Texas, where l have under
taken the farming scheme, is larger
than Japan. Until a few years ago 1T
was used for grazing, but it has grad
ually come to be considered a district
for cultivation, and the prospects for
its future are very promising. The
agricultural productions can be sent to
the market at New York in two days,
to Chicago In one and one-half days
and to San Francisco in four days.
The area / intend to cultivate consists
Of about 10000 cho bu $4,000 acres,
and the price Of the land is but ven
$3.50 per tan (245 acre.. This re-
gion having been grazing land up to
the present time, there will be little
difficulty or expense in preparing the
ground for cultivation, and the soil is
very rich, so that there will be no ne
cessity for using fertilizers for at least
ten years. Before returning to Japan
made arrangements with the railway
company owning the land to purchase
1t at any time.
1.-THE total number of Japanese in
Hawaii is about 10000, all of whom
consume rice exported from Japan.
The price of Japanese rice in Hawaii
IS about 80 yen ($16) per koku (4.96
bushels). The price is enhanced from
the original cost Of IA yen $50 or 10
ven $3.50 per koku (4.96 bushels) by
the addition Of about yen ga import
duty, yen $3.50 freight and the COM
missions and profits of the importer
and retail dealer. Besides rice, the
other articles of daily diet are SO ex-
! pensive that Japanese earning
monthly wage Of GO yen $500 has
scarcely anything left from his income
after the cost Of living is deducted,
but in America, in contrast, by en-
gaging in farming he could supply the
larger part of his daily diet, such as
vegetables and rice, from his own pro-
/ auctions, So that the cost of the other
articles of living should not exceed 80
sen Is cents day. Thus from
wage of 80 yen ($15) month q laborer
should be able to save 20 yen $50. In
classes of work where nimbleness Of
the fingers is necessary the japanese
are more skillful than the Americans.
In gathering grapes in the vineyards
they are able to earn yen ($3) a day.
It is therefore quite evident that there
Is du tuNdllldSC LII CIlp1OJ ms Odpd-
nese for cultivation on a large scale.
"My scheme is to invest 100000 or
100000 yen $35O,OO0 or $400,000) dur
ing the first year in the purchase of
land and other expenses. 1t is esti-
mated that at the end Of four years
profit of 100000 yen ($1,OO0,000 will
be realized.
"Of the different agricultural pur-
suits, that Of growing vegetables is the
most profitable. AS the cultivation of
forty cho bu Ninety-eight acres) re-
quires but two men and three horses,
the profits and the expenses can be
easily estimated. No procedure is re-
quired to secure market, as the trust
makes contracts With the farmers and
advances money for their produce be-
fore the time for marketing. The prices
are fixed on the basis Of the price at
which the produce is supplied to the
consumers, which allows proportlonate