40 BECENT FOREIGN EXPLORATIONS. 



PRODUCTION AND COST OF MILLING RICE. 



The average yield of i4ce is from twenty to thirty fold. This prob- 

 ably denotes a crop of 1,200 to 2,000 pounds of paddy. The cost of 

 milling is 7i cents (gold) per barrel (162 pounds), of which 6 cents is 

 paid for pounding and li cents for winnowing. The entire cost of 

 milling is met by the value of the bran and hulls. The red rice and 

 lower grades are all consumed locally. The local price of rice is from 

 1 to 2 cents per pound, according to quality. It is difficult to secure 

 accurate data, because in the different provinces weights of the same 

 name vary materially in the amount they represent and coins of the 

 same denomination differ in value. 



COST OF BUILDING, ETC. 



Hard brick sell for $2.10 per thousand and it costs about $1.50 per 

 thousand to lay them in a wall. The wall is the principal expense 

 incurred in building in the country. Lumber for building is generally 

 imported from the United States and is expensive, costing on the coast 

 from $40 to $80 per thousand. Country carpenters and masons usually 

 receive 10 cents per day and board. Farm laborers are paid $5 per 

 year and board. Board for a day consists of li pounds of rice, cost- 

 ing 2 cents, and pork and vegetables costing 1 cent. Allowing 10 

 cents per month for the labor of cooking the food, the total cost of 

 board is about $1 per month. 



EXPORTATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 



There is no probability of the overproduction of staple foods in 

 China and their large exportation for the following reasons: 



(1) At present China produces only about sufficient food for her 

 own consumption; any large increase of the area planted would involve 

 a system of levees to protect river bottoms, and deep wells to irrigate 

 the highlands. 



(2) Before rice and other grains can be produced in large quantities 

 for export, the Chinese must feel that they are safe in the enjoyment 

 of their property, and the duties between different provinces and the 

 petty exactions imposed on internal commerce must be abolished. The 

 conservative type of Chinese character prevents radical and sudden 

 changes. The increasing consumption will keep pace with the increase 

 of production. 



THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 



A visit to the Philippine Islands in October, 1901, confirmed the 

 opinion formed during a visit in 1898, that from an agricultural stand- 

 point these islands are among the most valuable territories of all Asia. 



