Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-06-03
VENTURE OF JAPANESE
Details of Scheme For Agricul-
 tural Colony In Texas.
NINE THOUSAND ACRES SELECTED

l Formosa, Expects to Bring Abou1
 One Thousand Japanese Farmers ts l Occupy the Tract In Texas Pros.
 poets of the CoIonists Said to Bs
 Very Promising.
 1 An interesting description of the az ricultural possibilities of the United
 States, and especially of Texas, has
 been sent to the state department by
 United States Consul Fisher at Tam sui, Formosa, says a Washington dis patch to the New York Tribune. Trans
 lating and quoting liberally from the
 Japanese press, MT. Fisher relates that
 Kinzaburo Gada, who is engaged in az riculture on the coast of Formosa and
 who visited the United States last fall,
 has selected nearly 5000 acres of agri-
 cultural land in Texas and expects to
 bring approximately thousand Japa-
 nese farmers to the United States to
 occupy the land.
 Mir. Fisher sends the following trans
 lation of an interview with Mir. Gada,
 which appeared in Japanese paper:
 Farming is the only enterprise that
 it seems can be profitably undertaken
 in America by the Japanese, In the
 manufacturing industries the Ameri- cans are using large capital and exten- 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 sume. 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.
 The total area of the uncultivated regions in Texas, where I have under taken the farming scheme, is larger than Japan. Until a few years ago it was used for grazing, but it has grad ually come to be considered 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 20,000 cho bu (49,0O0 acres), and the price of the land is but yen (s2.50 per tan (.245 acre,. This re- zion 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 I made arrangements with the railway owning the land to purchase 1t at any time.
 "The total number of Japanese in Hawaii is about 6o.OO0, all of whom consume rice exported from Japan. The price of Japanese rice in Hawaii Is about 32 yen s16 per koku (4.96 bushels. The price is enhanced from the original cost of IA yen ts0 or 15 yen (S7.J0, per koku (4.96 bushels) by the addition of about s yen ls4, import iuty, 5 yen fs2.50) freight and the com and profits of the importer and retail dealer. Besides rice. the other articles of daily diet are so ex- pensive that a Japanese earning a wage of 90 yen ts3m has scarcely anything left from his income after the cost of living Is deducted. but in America. in contrast. by en- gazing in farming he could supply the larger part of his daily diet. such es vegetables and rice. from his own pro- iuctions. so that the cost of the other articles of living should not exceed % sen 15 cents, a day. Thus from a wage of 30 yen (s15) a month a laborer should be able to save 20 yen Cs10). In classes of work where nimbleness of he fingers is necessary the Japanese ire more skillful than the Americans. In gathering grapes in the vineyards .hey are able to earn 8 yen (s3l day. it is therefore quite evident that there 1 s an advantage in employing Japa- lese for cultivation on a large scale.
 My scheme Is to invest 100.0o0 or 1 s0o.c0o yen (s3Jo.ooo or si0o.0OoD dur ng the first year in the purchase of 1 and and other expenses. It is esti- | mated that at the end of four years a | ,roft of 100000 yen ts1.0o0.o0o) will | De realized.
 "Of the different agricultural pur- | Iuits, that of growing vegetables Is the most profitable As the cultivation of . 'orty cho bu fninety-eight acres re- yrires but two men and three horses. he profits and the expenses can he 4 .zsily estimated. No procedure is re- 4 Iuired to secure a market. as the trust I makes contracts with the farmers and idvances money for their produce be- ore the time for marketing. The prices Ire fixed on the basis of the price at which the produce is supplied to the consumers. which allows propoTtionate 'rofts so Both the trust and the farm rs. an= as the trust would not attempt Q make reduction this method of mar .eting will be convenient for Japanese rho engage in agriculture in America"
 New Pnpal order.