The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-05
Dense PonnIatinns

press.
Dense Populations
That the population of Berlin de-
clined 1919 in 1908 is not a surpris-
ing result of financial depression.
Although the German Empire has
smaller than Texas. no part of it is
very densely peopled. The new "Great-
er Berlin" which is planned on an
area more than twice New York's will
ter OF densest population in Germany
is not Berlin but Crefeld, but the
Industrial region of Rhenish Prussia
and Westphalia does not contain more
than 100000 people.
Belgium, with more than 7O00O 600
people in an area less than Maryland's,
IS considered an example of extreme
density. She feeds 625 people to the
square mile by the aid of vast manu-
featuring industries. Java, with 29,-
100000 people in a space less than
Iowa, supports 574 to the square mile
by agriculture alone. The inhabited
portion OF Egypt supports by agricul-
tureH nearly 1000 to the square mile.
The Chinese Province of Kangsu is
supposed to support 35,OO0,000 people
in the area of Illinois, but there is no
exact census. Still, the portion of the
province running from Shanghai to
Marking along the railroad, the Grand
Canal and the Yangtsekiang river, an
area like New Jerseys, is one of the
three great hives OF KNOWN
to the world.
The other two are English and
American A strip of 220 miles by 40
connecting London and the coast north
of Liverpool contains in less than New
HampShire'S area more than / 6, 900, 900
people, nearly as many as Brazil or
Spain. In the United States a strip of
$50 miles by 40 whose central line
connects Boston and Washington con-
tains nearly 100000 people in
space rather more than a third that of
New York state.
This little strip of American soil in
cludes Providence and the Rhode Is
land valley towns, Hartford. New
Haven and the Connecticut manufac-
turing centers, New York, Newark,
Jersey City, Trenton, Philadelphia and
Baltimore. 1t has many ports and is
growing faster than any of the world
toward undoubted primacy-
York World.
Curing Smyrna Figs.
The process of fig curing as prac-
ticed in Asia Minor is simplicity it
self. The fruit dries naturally on the
trees and drops when perfectly cured.
1t is then collected and spread out on
serghts, or smooth, hard-beaten pieces
of prepared ground, measuring usually
10 yards by and sloping slightly, so
that any rain falling may run off i'm
mediately, where they remain four to
eight days, according to, the weather
conditions. to dry thoroughly. They
are then tightly packed in jute or wool
en- bags and shipped to the markets.
The largest and finest figs are picked
out for table purposes and shipped
chiefly to England without any fur
Their preparation.
The figs to be packed in boxes are
simply sorted into various sizes, rolled
roughly into shape, and then pressed
into the boxes by the workers, whose
hands are kept moist with sea water,
or, in places where that is not to be
had, with a brine of water and COM
mon salt.
The thickness of the skins is not
affected by the curing or the packing,
but depends entirely upon the water
supply; the less water the thicker the
skin. About 80 per cent of the fig
trees are entirely dependent upon the
rainfall for water supply, the last rains
being generally early in May. In those
districts where there is an abundant
water supply the trees are irrigated
once in the month of June and once
in July and these plantations, with
out exception, produce the thin-skinned
and juicy figs, which are the best
regularly irrigated from the time of
their planting are seriously damaged
if irrigated upon reaching maturity
Consular Reports.
Prices of Broons Soar.
Brooms, apparently the last thing in
the domestic line that could be affected
by the high price in wheat, have jump
ed 40 per cent in price. The house |
wife no longer can shake broom at
Patten and the wheat manipulators
without really paying tribute to them. |
Farmers announce they can make |
more money raising wheat and maize |
than by raising broom corn with !
the present prices.'' declared H. F. |
Bookhop, a broom manufacturer, of |
115 Warren street, yesterday. "They |