REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 189 



The minute details given of methods of cooking, and preserving 

 make this pamphlet interesting and valuable. A strange omission is 

 that of vermicelli, which however is chiefly made — from green beans — 

 in Shantung. The romanisation of this paper requires revision, and 

 there is a number of printer's errors. N. S. 



Household Industries in Soochow : Elizabeth A. Love. 

 Some Industries of Soochow : E. V. Jones, ph.d. 



These two papers, read before the Soochow Missionary Association, 

 cover the leading industries of the famous old town, though they are 

 by no means exhaustive, for it is authoritatively stated that there are 

 350 industries in this hive of industry. Very few of them attain any 

 considerable dimensions; most of the work done is on a very small 

 scale, and carried out in every household. The variety is possibly a 

 relic of the days of Soochow's ancient grandeur, before the Taipings 

 descended on the city. 



Dr. Jones' paper is the more scientific of the two ; as he says, it 

 is in reality largely a by-product of courses in analytical and industrial 

 chemistry in Soochow University. He deals particularly with the 

 copper alloy industry, which was studied by Mr. Chen, a graduate in 

 chemistry, with the result that the type of furnace used is found to 

 be not unlike those of very ancient type. "Yellow and white" and 

 "sound" copper were identified by Mr. Chen as corresponding with 

 brass, German silver and foreign bell metal respectively. The lime 

 industry was also carefully studied, and an interesting account of it is 

 given. 8,000 tons are produced annually. Tanning, candle and paper 

 making, the idol industry, etc., are treated among lesser trades; 

 particularly interesting is the account of wine making. We learn that 

 "samshu" means "thrice fired." The term wine is a misnomer. There 

 are three kinds of wine — yellow, white and burning. The first two are 

 fermented liquors and the third is a distilled liquor. 



Miss Love gives a valuable and sympathetic account of the daily 

 life and work of a Chinese household, dealing with domestic duties, 

 the training of girls, cookery, etc. The methods of preserving hams, 

 the famous ancient eggs and various kinds of fruits are clearly des- 

 cribed ; flavourings, spices, and sundry delicacies, of which the 

 Western mind has so vague an idea, can all be found here. The 

 incubator business is a flourishing one in Soochow. Farming, which 

 in China includes the gleaning of every possible product of the soil 

 and creeks, ponds, etc., is lightly touched upon. 



