The herald., 1922-05-18

! clal house cleaningS a year, and as
they are executed under a policeman 5
! vigilant eye, there is nothing slipshod
in the undertaking. All mans chat
tells, his lares and penates, his wives
| and children, even TO his cherished
opium pipe, are heaped unceremoni-
| ouSly in front of his dwelling, and tho
work of securing begins.
During the summer months Daitotei
presents its busiest face, for it 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 fittingly applied
TO such unimpOsing structures, are
ahum with the staccato accents of
chattering tea pickers. These are
generally young girls, as old hands
are too numb for the deft manipula-
ton 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 Powered lead-lined
boxes that carry their sensitive freight
OF tea to America. About 80 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 |
It can truly be said to be peculiar to |
the island, when it is remembered that |
tormosa holds practical monopoly in
The worlds market Of this valuable
irug.
Shortly after the japanese came to
'ormosa, % years ago, the camphor
industry became government mOnop-
'ly. Before that time there had been
great deal of ruthless waste, both in
he cutting down of trees and In ex-
racting camphor from them.
AT first the japanese, too, were
areless in this respect, for the supply
f camphOr trees seemed practically
but the great increase in the
emand for the product in late years
as made scientific afforestation neces-
airy. Now large tracts of land are
iven over to the cultivation of the
amphOr laurel. The oldest of these
trees are now some twenty
ears of age.
In point of view Of value, few trees
an rival the camphor. An average
rec, say with a basal circumference
f II feet, will yield about so piculs
T camphOr Approximately $500
ounds), which, at the present market
rice, is worth several thousands of
ollars.
Native stills are scattered here and
here throughout the districts where
rude camphor is collected, packed in
ms and carried down precipitous
fountain paths on coolies backs to
lie nearest railway line, whence 1t
pes to the refinery at Taihoku.
Ever since we have any authentic
cord, Formosa has been peopled with
lid tribes Of probably Malayan and
olynesian origin. They are nearest
point Of resemblance to the Dyaks
BorneO and, although their origin
Is never been proved beyond a doubt,
ey are sufficiently like certain of the
'uth Sea tribes to justify us in as
ibing to them a common ancestry.
They are found on the island today
all stages Of development. The
aw" savages, as the Chinese term
elm, live much as their ancestors did
INJURIES ago, while the ripe" saw
es, living on the borderland between -,
cir wild kin and Chinese settlers, 8,
We more or less assimilated Chinese -
lys of life. The savage population g,
Formosa is estimated at about 15O,- T.,
D. VI
AT present Formosa enjoys greater
'edom from savage attacks than
er before in her history. This is due s,
the fact that the Japanese have in =,
He'd a live-wire barrier from Karen ~
about midway on the east coast, to T.,
nan, In the south. a distance of -
Dut a hundred miles, to serve as a ~
'tection against savage raids. ~
The future of FOrmosa under its >"
sent benevolent paternal govern
MT looks bright indeed. Never be-
e has this island, so beautiful to
eye, enjoyed such degree of pros
ity.