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
We were unable to secure definite data as to the chemical
composition of these composts and cannot say what amounts of
available plant food the Shantung farmers are annually returning to
their fields. There can be little doubt, however, that the amounts
are quite equal to those removed by the crops. The soils appeared
well supplied with organic matter and the color of the foliage and
the general aspect of crops indicated good feeding.
The family with whom we talked in the village place their usual
yields of wheat at 420 catty of grain and 1000 catty of straw per
mow,--their mow was four-thirds of the legal standard mow--the grain
being worth 35 strings of cash and the straw 12 to 14 strings, a
string of cash being 40 cents, Mexican, at this time. Their yields
of beans were such as to give them a return of 30 strings of cash
for the grain and 8 to 10 strings for the straw. Small millet
usually yielded 450 catty of grain, worth 25 strings of cash, per
mow, and 800 catty of straw worth 10 to 11 strings of cash; while
the yields of large millet they placed at 400 catty per mow, worth
25 strings of cash, and 1000 catty of straw worth 12 to 14 strings
of cash. Stating these amounts in bushels per acre and in our
currency, the yield of wheat was 42 bushels of grain and 6000 pounds
of straw per acre, having a cash value of $27.09 for the grain and
$10.06 for the straw. The soy bean crop follows the wheat, giving an
additional return of $23.22 for the beans and $6.97 for the straw,
making the gross earning for the two crops $67.34 per acre. The
yield of small millet was 54 bushels of seed and 4800 pounds of
straw per acre, worth $27.09 and $8.12 for seed and straw
respectively, while the kaoliang or large millet gave a yield of 48
bushels of grain and 6000 pounds of stalks per acre, worth $19.35
for the grain, and $10.06 for the straw.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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