AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES. 



103 



b. Statistical Information in regard to these Alcoholic Drinks. 



In the year ending, September 30th, 1880, exclusive of foreign 

 importations,^ 5,207,970 Koku (9,389,970 hectolitres) of alcoholic 

 liquors were taxed in Japan. The state's total revenue from this 

 source amounted to 6,459,570 yen (about i^i, 291,014). Counting 

 the population as 34,000,000, there were to each person 27-6 

 liters of spirituous liquors, and a tax of about ninepence. Since 

 then the tax has been doubled, without decreasing the production 

 and consumption. The foregoing quantity and taxation is divided 

 as follows : 



5. Ame is an impure starch-sugar, mixed with dextrine and 

 water, which comes to market in two forms, namely: first under 

 the name of Midzu-ame (water- or fluid-Ame), with a large pro- 

 portion of water, as a very thick, yellow syrup, and second, Ame 

 proper, a doughy substance, very elastic. This latter, drawn 

 out into round or prismatic sticks, making a favourite dainty, has 

 a great attraction for children, especially when the man who 

 sells it in the streets is at the same time an artist, and forms all 

 sorts of figures from the white or coloured stuff heated till it is 

 plastic. No sooner is heard the sound of the little bell, or 

 the triangle which he holds in his hand, and the cry " Amai ! 

 Amai ! " (Sweets ! Sweets !), or "Amai to karai " (Sweet and biting), 

 or some other well-known shout, than he is sure of a respectable 

 following. 



In house-keeping Midzu-ame often takes the place of sugar, and 



^ These go mostly to the account of Europeans and Americans. 



