The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-19
JAPANESE starr or uFE
Everybody Fats nlcS and Almost Ever
Farmer Raises 70.


The japanese stan ~ life IA not bread
but rice. Until quite Recently The sc'.
nomic condition II the empire depsndad
almost entirely On tho success or failure
Of that crop The rice harvest still re-
mains the most vital factor In the general
condition Of the people.
japan has at the present time about
is.1OO0O acres under cultivation. I
which 7.iOs O0o acres are devoted q rirs
In addition 10 what IL used for food the
quantity required for sake brewing
immense. 20 that the domestic prrd4r.
ton has N b. replenished annually boo
considerable importation.
The very high quality Of Japanesr -,,
naturally leads n IL being exported M
large quantities. which adds b the noes.
sity ~ domestic importation. According
90 the Japan MosonHs tho c7rmmr'
81 rice per capita IN Japan he abrr. 50
bushels
From centuries ~ experience the sriar0s
81 rice cultivation has baen brought O. .
high state u perfection IN japan and ~
degree u production a. well 40 tha .....
are under cultivation h constantly 70
the increase. When we compar, 'h" 49,.
ON an bushels grown IN 1877 With he 20.
.O16 produced In 1877 the rapid rrt. {
incrcase may b. easily seen.
The rate 81 consumption his biol. o
greater than the rate II prod r.I.r,
which shows that tho number of tHrs'
able % afford rice NJ their staple d..
constantly growing The ~ - pu r,
population IN 1871 had IN 1915 grown
~. st5 90. which IL equal n an increase {
Is per cent In thirty years
A. rlCr culture h ~ such supreme n''
portanoe - the country the prioe ~ rf"a
lands u always rising until II rs now from
70 - A. ven IN ven "a equivalent o. y
centsl tan OPS aCrasI, vEr." N" rr"'
of common agricultural land 10 0D" ~
20 - ven \ tan. ID" rent - r'.' 7r9
"a also quite high he,rr from O. ~ ven
a tan usually. bot m PLACES whore sl
land Ia scar0n ~ much ~ 2O) yen h's
been paid a tan.
Tho ancestral paddy fields " the farmer
arr rrgarCled with great pride and guarded
az family treasures II can therefore b.
Understood why every inch " land who're
water for irrigation In available COM
mands the keeneEt attention, the entire
hiilsides IN sOue districts being terrace1
for rice production.
Rice growers represent morn th1n "
per cent. ~ the agricultural population.
From On J acres In about the average
holding 81 the japanese farmer NJ ne
best. but vast numbers 81 the rural pon1-
lation have % be satisfied with LITTLE mors
than an acre each. The farmer ms "
course % grow many other things 20
sides his rice and sorne ~ them h. clN-
Yates a. a second crop from The mn
ground after harvest
The rice districts NJ japan ln0s .A'
level plains n patchwork. Tho rrrEiN
paddy fields being walled around by ,h!
hanks 10 INCHES "a one aud q hall i"r'
high. according 20 the water l"v'i
Rice heing tropical plant r'qWrr
warm. damp climate for its surc's
cultivation, but u Is rernarkah'n f'ai h
lapon tho crop IL Euccessful.y t''rn
from kiushu In the south a. Tar u asadN
w the north. The plant require. plenty
81 water and a rich clay soil. -J"cA
preference being Tor ground formed irNn
nea deposit Most ~ the Jard0"-e r''
farmers. however. take little arc7un' ~
the nature ~ thu soil provided only ~
necessary water can h. had
In the colder pp-ts n Japan hu' "n-
iron az rice IL harvested In the yea N.i
In the south. who're the climate Is TWl
milCier and irrigation convenient VncfHs
ARE usually grown each yoar