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CHAPTER IV. 



OUTLINE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE COLONIES. 



I. AGRICULTURE IN FORMOSA. * 



The island of Formosa being situated near the torrid zone, its natural elements are well 

 suitable to agriculture, and its economic basis rests on the industry, too. The area of the land 

 under cultivation there consists of 3 36,<X)0 cho of paddy fields and 354,000 cho of upland fields, 

 which make up a total of 690,000 cho. The total acreage corresponds to 19 per cent, of the size of 

 the island. The agricultural population numbers 2,000,000, that is, 60 per cent, of the total 

 population. 



Among all the agriculture products, rice is most important, the output of which is 4,500,000 

 kokn a year, and the value 60,000.000 yen. Next comes the sugar-cane, the value of cane-sugar 

 exceeds 40,000,0007^// a year. Other principal products are sweet potatoes, tea, beans and peanuts. 

 As to domestic animals, the swine is largest in number, and total 1,300,000 heads. The next 

 largest animal is the buffalo, which is chiefly employed for tilling land and estimated at 300,000 

 heads. 



