Edible Products. 



412 



[NOVEMBER, 1910. 



for the fall crop about 125 days. The 

 longer period of growth in the fall crop 

 is due to varietal differences and not to 

 season. 



Considering that many rice fields have 

 been under cultivation for probably 

 thousands of years, I became specially 

 interested in the methods used to main- 

 tain and improve the fertility of the 

 6oil. A summarising of the average 

 yields of paddy gave the following re- 

 sults, which I believe to be reliable: Best 

 yields, 4000 to 4500 pounds, medium yields 

 2000 to 2500 pounds, poorest yields 1000 to 

 1500 pounds of paddy per acre. From 

 this it will be seen that these soils are 

 not lacking in productivity. These yields 

 at least equal, if they do not exceed, 

 those secured in Hawaii, and on lands on 

 many cases originally less fertile than 

 ours. To discover how such results have 

 been obtained continuously from remote 

 periods to the present was to me a fas- 

 cinating study. There seemed to be some- 

 thing magical about it. But, after all, 

 the matter is very simple,— so simple 

 that we in Hawaii have overlooked it. 

 In the first place, many of the paddy 

 fields are " made soils," that is, soils 

 which are too "heavy" are mixed with 

 sandy soils. Clay and loam soils are 

 mixed with those of a sandy nature. 

 The materials are often conveyed long 

 distances. During the winter the soil, 

 after being mixed with vegetable refuse, 

 is thrown up in heaps and composted. In 

 the spring the mass is again distributed 

 and the crop planted. In the meantime 

 every particle of animal and vegetable 

 refuse is collected into reservoirs, simple 

 excavations in the fields near canals, 

 which facilitate the disposal of night 

 soils, probably the most important mauu- 

 rial substance used. These night soils 

 are daily collected from the cities and 

 town,— in the aggregate, enormous 

 quantities being secured. Furthermore, 

 the rivers and canals are continually 

 being dredged for the fertile ooze cover- 

 ing the bottoms. All this is stored in 

 the reservoirs, which are frequently plas- 

 tered to prevent loss by seepage, and 

 are covered with a thatched roof to keep 

 out the sun and rain. Nothing is wasted 

 or permitted to deteriorate through neg- 

 lect. Large stone-ware vessels are con- 

 veniently placed along the roadways for 

 the use of the passing traveller, Street 

 sweepings, and hair from the barber 

 shops, offal from the butcher shops, fea- 

 thers, bones, leaves, straw, animal drop- 

 pings, soot and even the bath and wash 

 water are conserved, — nothing is too 

 insignificant. The dung of domestic 

 animals is esteemed the most valuable of 

 fertilisers and is a regular and important 

 article of commerce. While they have 



no chemist to place a valuation on these 

 commodities, they appear to know their 

 worth instinctively. Or, as the writer 

 several times noticed, a stick would be 

 plunged into the mass and passed under 

 the nose ; evidently this was the crucial 

 test of their fertilising value. A Chinese 

 " fertiliser factory" is a unique institu- 

 tion. They are plentiful about Can- 

 ton and I visited several of them. 

 On a permanent, smooth, well firmed 

 earthen floor a quantity of the thickest 

 material from tbe reservoirs is spread 

 and to this semi-liquid mass, earth is 

 added in varying quantities, when the 

 whole is thoroughly worked together. 

 More earth or more of the remaining 

 liquid portions of manure may be added, 

 if in the judgment of the manufacturers, 

 the " grade" or " standard" of the pro- 

 duct calls for such fortification. When 

 of the consistency of mortar, the mass is 

 spread out in a thin layer on the floor 

 which is previously sprinkled with rice- 

 hull ash to prevent sticking. In a day 

 or two the mass has become sufficiently 

 sun-dried to be taken up in slabs, which 

 are bioken up and stacked in piles for 

 storage and ripening ; there may be 

 several tons in a pile. These are then 

 thatched with straw for protection 

 against the weather. Shortly it is 

 ready for sale or home use. The cash 

 value per ton is $4'00 to $6 00. This 

 fertiliser is used exclusively as a top 

 dressing on rice and vegetables. For 

 the former crop it is first pulverised 

 and applied at the rate of about 200 

 cadic (266 pounds) per mau (6600 square 

 feet), or, say three-fourths of a ton per 

 acre. Tbe planta are about a month old 

 and a foot high when the first appli- 

 cation is made ; the second application is 

 made a short time before the flowering 

 period. The effects of the fertiliser are 

 said to be noticeable withiu a few days, 

 and the ultimate results are very satis- 

 factory, the yield frequently being 

 double that of unfertilised fields. A 

 sample of this material was secured and 

 has been submited to the Station chemist 

 for analysis. 



The half-liquid night soils, which are 

 collected daily from more than two 

 millions of persons in the environment 

 of Canton, are stored in cisterns and 

 allowed to putrify for a month or two. 

 They are then diluted and are applied as 

 are the composts already described- The 

 effects of these manures seem to indicate 

 that their fertilising constituents are 

 quite as available as are our most sol- 

 uble chemical fertilisers. 



The value of wood ashes and lime is 

 well understood and they are used as far 

 as possible) but the supply seems limited. 



