— 7 — 



or helping the work in field. In recent years, however, the method of farm management accom- 

 plished a complete change, as a result of the advancement of agriculture, and to-day livestock 

 breeding, sericulture, horticulture, and handcrafts of simple nature have become to be undertaken 

 as subsidiary works. Moreover, the farm has been so cultivated as to yield two crops a year, when- 

 ever this is possible. The purpose ' is, of course, to facilitate an even distribution of labour and 

 increase production. 



Utilisation of Animal Labour. — In consequence of the smallness of its scale, the agriculture of 

 Japan used to rely principally on human labour for operation and, therefore, very little of animal 

 work was in demand. But owing to the economization of labour, deep ploughing, supply of stable 

 manure, etc., animal labour has come into widespread use and the number of livestock kept has of 

 late years shown some increase. According to an investigation made at the end of 191 2, there 

 were in the country 2,2oo,cxx) heads of livestock, of which 1,220,000 heads were horses and the 

 rest cattle. 



Amount of consumption of Fertilizers. — About twenty years ago, the fertilizer meant chiefly 

 the human excrement, weed, stable manures and also. And, also, small amounts of such fertilizers 

 as oil-cake, fish-guano and rice bran. Since then, however, with the progress of agriculture, the 

 demand for the various kinds of fertilizers has remarkablytincreased and the amount of consumption, 

 in the year 191 2, reached 88,000,000 ytn in value. If such sorts as the rice bran, soylees, ashes of 

 plants, and others, which can be manufactured without license, are taken into consideration and 



