Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 184, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 August 1914 — RICE PLANTING IN JAPAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

RICE PLANTING IN JAPAN

4 N THE early spring, when the ■ cold winds are still sweeping m! over the rice fields in Japan, H there Is an aspect of lifelessI ness and desolation about ■= To the European eyes accustomed to dry-cultivated soil, or green grass meadows with feed'XZt ing cattle in them, the sight of so much mud and water in the ■■MMMiiHeMb landscape appears depressing, and there is a great absence of human habitations and people as well; but the character of the crops under cultivation makes ' it necessary that the peasants should be housed In settlements or villages away from the large wet areas given up to the growing of rice and other crops. These rice areas are divided up into fields or plots of all shapes and sizes by small grass-grown ridges a few inches in height, and averaging about a foot in breadth, thus enclosing the soft mud in which the rice is planted. The preparation of these fields is extremely arouous work, involving much hoeing and careful construction of these mud dams, and it includes a whole system of terracing, whereby the water necessary for irrigation is led gradually down fronf field to field, for all high-class rice requires flooding. The little streams and rivulets which provide the water for these terraced hills and wide valleys are very often shaded by bamboo plants, and these streams feed the ditches cut for water channels; narrow tracks or footpaths are also made through the rice fields. But if these fields look desolate at springtime, there is no lack of life in them when the planting season begins in June, for then they are filled with men and women busily engaged in transplanting the young rice plants; and, fortunately for this industry,. Japan possesses a large supply of cheap labor. The seeds of the rice are first thickly sown in the small wet fields, or nursery '"beds, in the early spring (April), and when the young plants have attained the height of four inches or thereabouts, they are very carefully transplanted to the larger fields, at wider intervals, in rows, and, as may be imagined, this is an exceedingly laborious kind of work. When one looks at the Innumerable little plants in the nurseries, with their vivid green shoots and delicate-looking roots, the removing of them by hand to the larger fields and planting singly seems an almost impossible task, and with European labor it might be so; but the peasantry of Japan have been accustomed to this tedious method of agriculture through many centuries and, from habit, it is taken as a matter of course, - and the men and women, standing kneedeep in the mud and water and stooping over their toilsome work, spare no pains in the planting out of the young rice in the soft inud. The value of the harvest is probably in their minds as the reward for all this labor. The eastern agricultural laborer must be seen to be fully realized. Japanese backs are supple! but the sight of so much stooping and bending Is enough to make a European feel the pains of lumbago in hts back from the mere contemplation of it. When the rice is growing up then the fields sbow a very brilliant green, and they are kept under a few inches of water all the time the young crops are growing, which is only drained away Just before the harvesting of the rice. The rice plant blooms early in September, and the crpps are reaped in October, and hung up to dry on short poles. The threshing is done with flails or heckles, a kind of comb. Various methods of fertilization are used by the Japanese farmer, some of them most unsavory to thq European nose; in fact, the “smMls” that emanate from the ground in the agricultural districts In Japan often destroy one’s sense of appreciation of their fine cultivation when inspecting it closely, and the Japanese people must either have less keen noses than ours or else do not mind the odors, for they appear in.no way to affect them as they da our■>ean takes a walk in the rice fids," as he calls them, during is sure to get severely bitten for Europeans living near the eats are a great trial during have stated that Japan pro- "

duces two crops of rice yearly, but this is an erroneous idea, speaking generally. The winter prevents the growing of more than one crop yearly, but there is a part of Japan that does, produce two crops, viz.; the Tosa province, in one of the southern islands, but this is owing to the difference of climate there, caused by. the Kuro-shio, or “black current,” which, flowing northward from the direction of Formosa and the Philippine islands, warms

the southern and southeastern coasts of Japan, very much the same way as the Gulf stream warms the coasts of western Europe; and partly on account of her position geographically, with her long stretch of country from north to south, and the influence of winds and ocean currents, Japan has a large variety of temperature throughout the whole empire. Rice is very largely grown in the southern islands as well as in the southern part of the main island, where one sees very extensive rice fields, but not in the north. There is a kind of dry rice grown, but this is not of good quality. The rice grown in Japan is reckoned among the best in the world, and she takes third place among the rice-producing countries, and exports very large quantities. She imports rice as well, and this may sound strange in a rice-growlrife' country; but the quality of her home-grown rice being so very fine, she exports all she."can and imports' cheaper rice for her home consumption from Korea and China and India that is of inferior quality to her own; but mixed with Japanese rice it is used freely among the poorer classes. Although it is the staple food, other kinds of grain are used as well—millet, barley and wheat are cultivated, and have bee# grown for food during past centuries in the country. Crops of these are grown during the time when the rice fields lie fallow. Two kinds of potatoes are grown as well for consumption.

Hitherto the rice consumers in Japan have been mostly the people living in the towns, the peasantry looking upon it as somewhat of a luxury. But the classes of consumers have been widening out and the standard of living is growing higher in Japan, and more rice is being consumed in the country than formerly, and this, in addition to the fact that the population is rapidly increasing, means that the question of the production of the food supplies in the country in the future is one that has to be seriously considered, and for these reasons the Japanese government has considered the question of the increasing demand for food supply very carefully. Many years ago the institutes for agricultural experiments were established, and these are doing their work well. Much has been carried out; for the rearrangement of the farm fields, in the partitions, and in the'irrigation systems of furrows and canals; works of this kind carried out in sufficient extent will enlarge the farm areas Very considerably and lessen the necessity' for opening Up any new land for cultivation. It is by following these methods that Japan is preparing herself to meet the increasing demand for food. Failure of crop and consequent famine have to be met by larger imports, but necessarily cause great distress among the people. , Times and seasons are scrupulously regarded by the peasantry for all their agricultural operations. The terrible storms in the typhpon season are very much dreaded early lu September. When

the rice is in flower they are very devastating in character when they come, and the ,rice crop is sure to be injured by them at this period. The wide, cultivated valleys and the terraced hillsides of Japan are a standing testimony to the patience and industry of the inhabitants throughout the country, and the care and culture that have been bestowed upon them for long years are plainly apparent even to a casual observer. A.quotation from a Japanese translation will show the spirit in which agricultural pursuits have been carried on from old times in the country, and the importance attached to them: “To select a convenient season in which to

employ men for public work, is the rule of good ancient law. Winter is a time of leisure, but during the season between spring and autumn in which they are employed on their farms ... it is not expedient to take men from their work, or interfere with them in their efforts to supply food.” —Extract from translation of the Laws of Shotoku Taishi, in “Dai Nikon (A. D. 572-622).”