CHINESE AGRICULTURE. 13 



poses. The edge of the wooden blade is guarded ^\'ith iron, 

 giving Aveight and impetus to its blow. The deliciency of 

 tools is made up by patient and hard labor. 



The strain put upon the soil to yield so many crops beyond 

 the limits of nature must necessitate the enormous use of 

 manure. Here the Chinese are not at their writ's end. The 

 practice of ages comes to their assistance. Night-soil from all 

 cities and towns is collected into reservoirs ; refuse is gath- 

 ered from the sweepings of houses ; poor men and boys may 

 be seen all day long, from the earliest morn, sweeping the 

 streets, paths and fields, gathering the excrements of pigs, 

 dogs, cows and horses. Some make a specialty of collecting 

 offal and bones. A great iiamber are employed in scooping 

 the weeds from the beds of canals, ponds, lakes and rivers, 

 which are put into vats, and covered with mud, to cause them 

 to rot. After oil is pressed from the beans, the bean-cakes 

 are used for manure. The quality and strength of the manure 

 is used according to the requirements of the soil and plant. 

 Rotten fish is also used for this purpose. Almost all kinds of 

 vegetables raised in this country are raised in China. 



There is a certain winter vegetable Avhich thrives best when 

 the frost is thick and snow abundant. Fruits, melons and 

 grapes abound. In the northern provinces, Avatermelons are 

 so abundant that one entering their fields can eat all the mel- 

 ons he wishes, if he will only leave the seeds. These seeds 

 are sent throughout the country in shiploads. Peaches are 

 fine, better than any I have tasted here. The natives cook 

 them in brine, and then parch them on iron pans. In the 

 southern provinces oranges and other tropical fruits are raised, 

 some of which are not known in this country, such as the 

 Uches, Jang c/ans, curambola and j^omeloes. Oranges are 

 often sold on the spot at fifty to seventy cents per bushel. 

 But further north, two to four dollars are paid per bushel. 



Rearing of horses is entirely confined to the northern prov- 

 inces. The horse commonly seen there is more l:ke a Shet- 

 land pony. It is bony and strong. The improvement of this 

 noble animal is entirely neglected, and he looks sorry enough 

 compared with the coursers of India or Persia. He is prin- 

 cipally used for carrying the post or for military services. 

 Asses and mules are more employed for draught in tiie north- 



