Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-03

experimental stations and there are other
experimental stations established by the
farmers themselves. The first of these
stations were organized by men from our
Agricultural Department. and there have
oeen many American professors in the
colleges. Among the experimental sta
tions Is one for the study of the tea plant
and of all modes of curing the leaves and
preparing them for the market There is
also an imperial silk farm and imperial
cattle and horse breeding establishments.
WITHIN the past few years Japan has
done a great deal to improve its live
stock. 1t had practically none of much
Vaiue at the time that Commodore Perry
came here. 1t has now a million cattle
ana a million horses, and one can buy
good beef at all of the ports When l
first came to Japan it was impossible to
get anything else but timed butter. There
are now numerous diaries. and fresh but
ter unsalted, is sold in most of the cities.
The masses of the people use neither but
ter nor meat. They live upon fish, rice
and. vegetables. which they eat with
sauce called soy.
The most of the soldiers who went from
one 1arms 10 Manchuria to fight the Rus
slams there made their first acquaintance
with beef in the consumption of canned
meats from America. and it is probable
from this that demand for meat may
spring Up.
imperial breeding farm which is supplied
with animals purchased by experts who
were sent abroad for the purpose. The
faVorite cattle are Ayrshires and Simmer
thals. a number Of each being kept
The japanese are doing ali they can to
improve their horses. The emperor has
number OF studs and horse farms and his
men are importing animals for their i'm
trotters. thoroughbreds and hackneys, al
together numbering about five hundred
stations and mares. There is now
horse administration bureau. which is
ex-minister of state as its chief. The
business OF this is to improve the Japa-
nese stock, with the especial object of
furnishing better animals for the army.
! Understand that fifteen hundred stall
lions of foreign breed are to be purchased
and distributed to the chief breeding CEN
tiers. where they to be paired with
native mares The Improvement program
is to extend thirty years.
At present most of the horses here are
stocky ponies of Monaghan breed They
have been somewhat crossed with Per-
cherons, and as a result they are very
strong and hardy. see some of them
hauling enormous loads on carts through
the streets of the cities. They are al
ways hitched up sing1y. and the driver
invariably walks, leading the horse.
AS to imported horses, number were
brought here from America in 1872, and
after the war with China. systema tic in
PRODUCTION of foreign stations began At
present there are 1924 such animals in
the various government depots and studs.
l am surprised at the interest that the
farmers are taking In improved agricul-
ture. They have something like sixteen
hundred different societies, and new
methods are being discussed in every
town. village and farming district. They
are alive to the use of artificial fertil-
izers, and OF late have been importing
vast quantity of sulphate of ammonia
They understand the use Of manures bet
ter than we do, and by applying them di-
rectly to the plants are able to get better
results. Every bit of stable manure is
saved, and notwithstanding the compare
lively small number of animals that now
used in year is valued at almost twenty
five million dollars. Another fertilizer
which is largely purchased is fish guano
This is made by boiling down herring for
their oil. the refuse being sold to the
farmers. Such manure brings in mil
lions of dollars a year. and just now a
great deal is coming from Saghalien, the
lower part of which island Japan got
from Russia The herring fisheries there
are valuable. yielding an oil cake which
is shipped to Japan.
One of the most important fertilizers of