REPORT 



UPON 



THE AGRICULTURE OF CHINA, 



BY DANIEL S. GREEN, SURGEON U. S. N. 



My observations were so limited, as scarcely to justify the merest notice on the agriculture 

 of China; but a few facts of some interest may be recorded. 



On approaching the southeast coast of China, instead of meeting with alluvial plains or low 

 lands, one is confronted by an iron-bound coast, consisting of long ranges of high mountains. 

 These rise abruptly from the water's edge, without even a narrow belt of level land intervening ; 

 and the sea is dotted with numerous islands similarly circumstanced. Both are now destitute 

 of forests, if they ever were clothed with them, but have some trees and underwood growing 

 in valleys not altogether arid. The residue of the surface is either bare, or covered with weeds 

 and short coarse grasses. The soil, to judge all by one, is a poor, gravelly clay — poor, chiefly 

 from lack of moisture. In a few places, principally narrow strips at the bottoms of ravines, 

 where irrigation can be practised, small portions of land are cultivated; but these can scarcely 

 be seen in the great blank of barren wilds. And though China may well be called the "Flowery 

 Kingdom," it here presents an uninviting and most unpromising exterior. 



In ascending the Canton or Pearl river, which is very wide at its mouth, but gradually nar- 

 rows towards the Boca Tigris, miles inland, either side continues to present the same ap- 

 pearances as the seaboard. In short, the river is here passing through the coast range of 

 mountains. 



Beyond the Boca, the land extends away immense distances, in flat alluvial plains. Some of 

 the alluviums on the south side have been formed within the memory of man, and further ex- 

 tensions are now being deposited below the Boca. As these formations go on and acquire suffi- 

 cient extent, embankments are thrown up, leaving channels or canals at suitable distances, for 

 the admission of boats to all parts of the plain ; and thus a large, perhaps the larger, portion of 

 all the canals on tide-water have been constructed; which accounts for their great number at 

 little expense. The earth thrown out from them, to form the limits of fields or enclosures, seems 

 to form dykes ; and to prevent the tides from wearing these away, rows of banana, bamboo, or 

 other trees are planted upon them. Sluices are made by plank boxing or otherwise, by which 

 water may be admitted or discharged, according to the tide, either for the purpose of warping 

 or of irrigation. 



This plain is of very great size, being some thirty or forty miles wide from the coast range 

 to the next range of highlands, and extending between them as far as the eye can reach. Over 



