Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-13

agricultural machinery Of every descrip.
ton. Generally speaking. the methods of
filling the land are still very primitive IL
is only in recent years that the turkish
farmers and large landowners nave De
gun to relax somewhat in their attitude
to modern innovations. Formerly they
were satisfied with small returns, sufficient
for their own use. OF wheat and rye, owe
Oil. yegeta bes and halva, a favorite dish
with the natives, which consists of mix
ture of crushed sesame seed with Oil,
meal and sugar. Today. however. the
demand for farm products for export to
European countries is increasing to such
an extent that the peasant classes are
beginning to learn that the improved
methods introduced by a neighbor here
and there bring more substantial returns
than do the old ways, which have so long
been the vogue throughout the country.
Devoted to Agriculture.
THE number of, those busily engaged
in agricultural pursuits in the villayet
of Smyrna may be placed at half a
million. of whom two-thirds are Turks
and one-third Greeks The Mohammedan
peasants are partly domcled and partly
nomads and shepherds. The domiciled
Turks are honest and Industrious devot-
ing their attention to tilling the soil. The
nomads and shepherds. on the contrary.
herds.
The Greek peasants are also industr-
Gus and Intelligent. AS the mountain
ranges and districts strict along The seacoast
islands Of the turkish archipelago. are
too dry, on the whole for the planting
of cereals on an extensive scale, the
Greeks have mostly turned to raising
goats and cultivating vineyards The
Greek peasants in this villayet usually
have comfortable little home in one
of the country villages. and on national
and religious holidays they all. especially
the women, take special pride in being
neatly dressed.
The farms in the vlllayet of Smyrna
consist of large estates Gschiftlicks) and
small peasant holdings. The tschiftlicks.
as a rule. are worked in common between
the landowner and peasant; that is. the
land owner furnishes the ground. seed,
and in some parts OF the country even the
labor in connection with harvesting,
while on the other hand the peasant
gives only the price OF his labor in re-
turn. After deducting taxes. which con-
sist of a certain percentage of the crop.
the total yield is then divided between
landowner and peasant. Should it hap
pen that the peasant furnishes a span
of oxen it is reckoned the work OF
one man. Small patches of ground
throughout the country are usually
owned and personally farmed by peas
ants and this is especially the case in
the vicinity of the villages. Cotton. flax,
hemp and tobacco are cultivated some
what more systematically on the large
estates. The farmer i'm this country
usually divides his field into three cate
sories namely. that which is set apart
for spring sowing. fall sowing. and that
which is left entirely uncultivated as pas
turage for live stock
Small Trade at Present.
We have little commerce with Turkey.
We import considerable wool and large
quantities of rugs and carpets: nearly
all OF our figs come from Smyrna and
that vicinity, and we take considerable
licorice and other medicinal plants. En-
ports are very small, and far have
been limited to merchandise which the
Turks could not obtain elsewhere.
Tile following table will show our inn
ports from and the exports to Turkey
i'm Europe for the three years past.
Imports from. Exports to.
1901 9'g3g' 30. ."a 1 S'"Ss
The following are our exports to and
imports from Turkey in Asia for the last
three years:
Imports from. Exports to;
1906 -..--....--''''''' SGSS 492 SeS 2iS
laos ......., 6,205. O61 555, 1916
The largest market in Turkey Will be
for railway supplies and construction ma
terials, which will be in great demand
during the next few years because OF the
large undertakings contemplated for the
extension of the railway system of Tur-
kew. Surveys are being made. and con-
cessions will soon be closed with English
and French syndicates for half dozen
new lines running from ports of Asia
Minor into the interior for the purpose
of bringing goods to market.
Mr. Ravndal, consul general at Beirut
and the other consuls confirm all that
Amba ssador LeiShman and Mr.. Harris
have said concerning a favorable oppor
tunity for introducing American goods
Mr. Ravnda also sends an interesting
dispatch about mosque on wheels that
maScus and Medinah over the new rail-
way that has recently been completed to
Medinah. in which pilgrims to the tomb
of the prophet at Mecca may be able TO
perform their devotions during the jour