168 



To show how universally the economical value of 

 manure is felt and appreciated in all classes of society 

 in Japan from the highest to the lowest, I need simply 

 state the fact that, in all my wanderings through the 

 country, even in the most remote valleys, and in 

 the homesteads and cottages of the very poorest of 

 the peasantry, I never could discover, even in the 

 most secret and secluded corners, the least trace of 

 human excrements. How very different with us 

 in Germany, where it may be seen lying about in 

 every direction, even close to privies ! 



I need not mention that the manure thus left by 

 travellers is treated exactly in the same way as the 

 family manure. 



But the excrements of the peasant contain also 

 some other matter not derived from the soil of 

 his fields, and which may be said to represent an 

 additional importation of manure. The river, 

 brooks, and canals, and the numerous little bays, 

 abound in fish, which the religion of the Japanese 

 permits him to eat a permission of which he most 

 largely avails himself. Fishes, crabs, lobsters, and 

 snails are eaten in quantities, and these ultimately 

 afford a most valuable item of contribution to the 

 privy, and consequently to the fertilizing field 

 manure. 



The Japanese farmer also prepares compost. As 

 he keeps no cattle to convert his straw, &c., into 

 manure, he is obliged to incorporate this part of 



