The Cordova daily times., 1922-09-11

The Japanese insist upon two off, cial house cleanings a year, and as they are executed under polfceman's vigiant eye, there is nothing slipshod in the undertaking. All a mans chat tels, his lares and penates his wives and children, even to his cherished opium pipe, are heaped unceremoni- ously in front of his dwelling, and the work of securing begins.
 During the summer months DaitOtei presents it's busiest face, for 1t is then that the tea season is in full swing. The colonnades of the tea hongs, if such an imposing architectural term as colonnades can be fttingly applied to such unimposing structures, are alum with the staccato accents of chattering tea pickerS. These are generally young girls, as old hands are too numb for the delft manipula- tiOn of the tea leaves.
 Seated on low stools before wide wicker trays, these bright-eyed maids, in their peacock-blue SmOckS, their front hair clipped in bangs and with a gay pOSy or two stuck in the braid- ed knots at the backs of their necks, are in animated contrast to their rather drab surroundings.
 Everywhere one sees coolies pack ing the gayly lowered lead-lined boxes that carry their sensitive freight of tea to America. About 90 per cent of Formosa Oolong goes to the United States.
 The population of FormOsa is main- ly agricultural. The cultivation of rice, and more especially sugar cane, is encouraged by the government, and these are grown in great quantities.
 Monopoly in camphor.
 However, the most interesting indus try is the production of camphor, and 1t can truly be said to be peculiar to the island, when it is remembered that Formosa holds practical monopoly In the worlds market of this valuable drug.
 Shortly after the Japanese came to Formosa, 25 years ago, the camphor industry became a government mOnOp- oly. Before that time there had been great deal of ruthless waste, both in the cutting down of trees and in ex- tracting camphor from them.
 At first the Japanese, too, were careless in this respect, for the supply of camphor trees seemed practically limitless, but the great increase In the demand for the product in late years has made scientific afforestation neces- sary. Now large tracts of land are given over to the cultivation of the camphor laurel The oldest of these cultivated trees are now some twenty years of age.
 In point of view of value, few trees can rival the camphor. An average tree say with a basal circumference of 12 feet, will yield about 50 plculs of camphor Approximately 6.660 pounds), which, at the present market price, is worth several thousands of dollars
 Native stills are scattered here and there throughout the districts where crude camphor is collected, packed in tins and carried down precipitous mountain paths on coolies' backs to the nearest railway line whence 1t goes to the refinery at Taihoku.
 Ever since we have any authentic record, Formosa has been peopled with wild tribes of probably Malayan and Polynesian origin. They are nearest in point of resemblance to the Dyaks of Borneo and, although their origin has never been proved beyond doubt, they are sufficiently like certain of the South Sea tribes to justify us in as- cribing to them common ancestry.
 They are found on the island today in all stages of development. The "raw" savages, as the Chinese term them, live much as their ancestors did centuries ago, while the ripe" sav- ages, living on the borderland between their wild kin and Chinese settlers, have more or less assimilated Chinese ways of life. The savage population of Formosa is estimated at about 150,- OOO
 At present Formosa enjoys greater freedom from savage attacks than ever before In her history. This is due to the fact that the Japanese have h. stalled a llve-wire barrier from Karen ko, about midway on the east coast. to Pinan. in the south, a distance Of about hundred miles, to serve as a protection against savage raids.
 The future of Formosa under its present benevolent paternal govern ment looks bright indeed. Never be- fore has this island, so beautiful to the eye, enjoyed such degree of pros-