Farmers of Forty Centuries; Or, Permanent Agriculture in China, Korea, and JapanKing, F. H. (Franklin Hiram)
Science
Farmers of Forty Centuries; Or, Permanent Agriculture in China, Korea, and Japan
King, F. H. (Franklin Hiram)
Agriculture -- China; Agriculture -- Japan; Agriculture -- Korea
Our interpreter asked a compensation of one dollar, Mexican, or 43
cents, U. S. currency, per day, he furnishing his own meals. The
usual wage for farm labor here was $8.60, per year, with board and
lodging. We have referred to the wages paid by missionaries for
domestic service. As servants the Chinese are considered efficient,
faithful and trustworthy. It was the custom of Mr. and Mrs. League
to intrust them with the purse for marketing, feeling that they
could be depended upon for the closest bargaining. Commonly, when
instructed to procure a certain article, if they found the price one
or two cash higher than usual they would select a cheaper
substitute. If questioned as to why instructions were not followed
the reply would be "Too high, no can afford."
Mrs. League recited her experience with her cook regarding his use
of our kitchen appliances. After fitting the kitchen with a modern
range and cooking utensils, and working with him to familiarize him
with their use, she was surprised, on going into the kitchen a few
days later, to find that the old Chinese stove had been set on the
range and the cooking being done with the usual Chinese furniture.
When asked why he was not using the stove his reply was "Take too
much fire." Nothing jars on the nerves of these people more than
incurring of needless expense, extravagance in any form, or poor
judgment in making purchases.
Daily we became more and more impressed by the evidence of the
intense and incessant stress imposed by the dense populations of
centuries, and how, under it, the laws of heredity have wrought upon
the people, affecting constitution, habits and character. Even the
cattle and sheep have not escaped its irresistible power. Many times
in this province we saw men herding flocks of twenty to thirty sheep
along the narrow unfenced pathways winding through the fields, and
on the grave lands. The prevailing drought had left very little
green to be had from these places and yet sheep were literally
brushing their sides against fresh green wheat and barley, never
molesting them. Time and again the flocks were stampeded into the
grain by an approaching train, but immediately they returned to
their places without taking a nibble. The voice of the shepherd and
an occasional well aimed lump of earth only being required to bring
them back to their uninviting pastures.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account