AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES. 



35 



centimeters apart. In many cases, however, this takes place early 

 in October, before the rice harvest, or the rape, — which has been 

 started in seed-beds, like cabbage-plants with us, — is set out in 

 furrows beside the rice, so that it is only necessary to dig over 

 and heap up the earth when the latter has been removed. In either 

 case the winter crop is richly manured again in March, and the 

 earth is loosened and piled up around its stalks, as we do with 

 potatoes and other vegetables. This custom originated, perhaps, 

 in consequence of the fierce storms of dust in February and March, 

 which, occurring after long dry spells, blow away the light, finely 

 powdered loam, and lay bare many a root. 



As in Andalusia and other districts of the Mediterranean basin, 

 so in Japan, rape-seed, peas, and broad-beans blossom in April ; 

 barley and wheat put forth their stalks and ears; and then, to- 

 wards the end of May, or in June, follows the harvest of all these 

 plants. 



Where there is rice-culture in addition, the field must, of course, 

 be first turned into a swamp, and thus suffer a total change. But if 

 the land is to bear other summer growths, their seeds, — as of beans, 

 maize, and millet of various kinds, — are sown three or four weeks 

 previously, in rows beside the ripening stalks of rape, barley, and 

 wheat ; or the little tobacco and cotton plants, ^gg plants, and other 

 products which have been raised in the seed-bed are transplanted, 

 generally weeks before the winter crop is ready for harvesting. It 

 does not always happen that a great part of the plain is given over 

 exclusively to rice culture in summer. Here and there, singly and 

 scattered, dry fields appear, lying from one-third to one-half a 

 meter higher, and planted with millet, cotton, beans, various roots, 

 and other growths. They stand out above the bright green rice- 

 plain as the isolated flower-beds in our gardens rise above the well- 

 kept turf. 



In the classification and consideration of Japanese field products 

 to which we now proceed, I have, in general, followed the natural 

 division of plant-culture in the majority of our agricultural text- 

 books. The first and chief object of agriculture is to furnish food 

 for man. This is obtained principally through cereals, pulse, and 

 root crops. These groups therefore naturally precede all other 

 products of the field, and their cultivation has the oldest history. 

 After these come vegetables and other similar growths, which 

 in some cases, as melons and the garlic family, have also been 

 cultivated for thousands of years. Next come, — with respect to 

 their use, at least, — eagle-fern, mushrooms, sea-weeds and prepara- 

 tions of sea-weed, and also the edible fruits furnished by the fruit- 

 tree and the forest. Then follow the articles of food and luxury, 

 which, like Sake, Shoyu, Tofu, and others, are manufactured from 

 grain and pulse. And the division which then follows of plants of 

 commerce, embraces stimulants and drugs, and also oil, textile, and 

 dye-plants. 



