370 APPENDIX G. 



crops, but the capital itself of the soil upon which we are drawing. 

 The more largely our system enables us to draw upon this capital, 

 the sooner it will come to an end. The term ' culture ' applied to 

 such a proceeding is a misnomer. The peculiar method of ma- 

 nuring alluded to consists merely in our endeavouring to feed the 

 soil of our fields with the largest possible supply of azotised mat- 

 ter. Now, ammonia and the other azotised compounds may no 

 doubt be looked upon as excellent agents to stir up the hidden and 

 slumbering forces of the soil. But after all, these agents may be 

 regarded somewhat in the light of a banker, who kindly exchanges 

 the pound we have to spend for thirteen shillings ; and then we 

 can spend the change fast enough. This accounts for the large 

 party amongst us who love and cherish the obliging banker. 



This is the great difference between European and Japanese 

 culture. The former is simply a delusion, which will be detected 

 sooner or later. Japanese cultivation, on the other hand, is actual 

 and genuine ; the produce of the land represents indeed the inter- 

 est of the capital of the soil's productive power. As the Japanese 

 knows that he has to live upon that interest, his first care is de- 

 voted to keeping the capital intact. He only takes away from his 

 soil with one hand, if he can make up the loss with the other ; 

 and he never takes more than he can return. He never endeavours 

 to force the production by large supplies of azotised matters. 



The fields in Japan do not, therefore, as a general rule, present 

 that luxuriant aspect which gratifies our sight occasionally at 

 home. There are no impenetrable forests of straw from six to 

 eight feet high, to be seen, nor turnips weighing 100 Ibs., with 

 99 Ibs. of water in them. There is nothing extravagant in the 

 sight of Japanese crops. But what distinguishes them most favour- 

 ably as compared to ours is their certainty and uniformity for thou- 

 sands of years. The real produce of land can be calculated only by 

 the average crops of a long number of years. 



If additional proof were needed to show that the state of culti- 

 vation is very superior, and that the land yields abundant produce, 

 I would point to the fact that the Japanese empire, which covers 

 an area similar to Great Britain and Ireland, and of which one- 

 half at the most, from the hilly nature of the country, can be looked 

 upon as fit for tillage, not only contains a larger number of inhab- 

 itants than Great Britain and Ireland, but maintains them without 

 any supply of food from other parts. Whilst Great Britain is 

 compelled to import corn from other countries, to the extent of 

 many millions per annum, Japan since the opening of its ports 

 actually exports no inconsiderable quantities of food. 



SECTION II. 



TILLAGE OF THE SOIL. 



Deep cultivation of the soil has become a kind of proverb with 

 our modern writers on agriculture ; and the principle of the sys- 



