JAPAN. 663 



JAPAI^. 



CATTIE IN JAPAN. 



BEFORT OF OONSVL JONES, OF NAGASAKI. 



I have the honor to acknowledge letter of the Department of Sfca'te of 

 July 18, 1883, desiring information relative to breeding cattle for the 

 benefit of the stock-breeders of the United States. 



Japan cannot be said to be a stock-breeding country. Previous to 

 the arrival and settlement of foreigners in the country — now some 

 twenty-five years — beef, milk, butter, and cheese were not used by the 

 natives as articles of food, and were in fact unknown to them. 



There are no words in the Japanese language for beef, butter, and 

 cheese, except those recently framed from the English for convenience' 

 sake, and in use only at the treaty port. These words are not known 

 or used in the interior of the country. 



There are no farms in Japan, as an American understands the mean- 

 ing of the word farms. There are, instead, small fields and patches of 

 ground, bounded by ditches and water-courses, which are highly culti- 

 vated, but more as gardens than farms. Consequently there are no 

 ranges for stock, and the grass of the country is coarse and of poor 

 -quality. 



Sheep will not live on the grasses of Japan. 



The cattle are apparently a degenerate breed, brought originally from 

 ■China or Corea. 



The bullock is used as a draft animal for packing purposes, and in 

 the cultivation of the soil — plowing, &c. 



The cow gives but little milk ; merely sufiacient for their calves. 



When killed and dressed by the butchers the cow will weigh from 250 

 pounds to 400 pounds ; the bullock, from 350 to 450 pounds. 



Beef in the markets at Nagasaki sells for about 12 cents a pound. 



It will thus be seen that there are no facts connected with cattle- 

 breeding in Japan that would be of any interest or use to the stock- 

 raisers of the United States. 



ALEXANDER O. JONES, 



Consul. 



United States Consulate, 



Nagasaki, Ja'pan, December 12, 1883. 



