AGRICULTURE AND DENDROLOGY. 
37 
0.55 kuw. of nitrogen .= 0.838 Yen 
0.13 ,, ,, phosphoric acid = 0.079 ,, 
0.27 ,, ,, potash .= 0.078 ,, 
total . 0.985 Yen 
In the neighbourhood of towns and cities farmers are 
accustomed to enter into agreements with householders and 
to purchase the excreta of a family for a sum dependent 
upon the number of its members. In Tokyo, where the 
prices thus paid will certainly be rather low on account of 
the great distances of the farms from the city, there is paid 
on the average 25-30 Sen per year for the excreta of an 
adultT As the total quantity of dung deposited per year 
per head in the closet of each house may be estimated 
at about 100 kuwamme, which after it is carried to the farm, 
has a value of about 1 Yen, the farmer who carts the night- 
soil home himself within two half working days 1 2) , realizes 
accordingly for the labour of transporting it about 70-75 Sen. 
According to the calculation of others, the annual quantity 
of excreta deposited per head of the population in their own 
houses amounts only to about 90 kuw anime, in which case 
he saves by the transport 67-73 Sen. This money, 67-75 
Sen, represents an actual gain to the farmer, as he would be 
compelled to purchase the cheapest commercial fertilizer, i.e. 
fish manure, if he were to refuse to avail himself of the 
night-soil, and as he finds but rarely outside his farm an op- 
1) In the agreements with families in Tokyo persons above 15 years 
are counted as adults, of children between 10-15 years two are accounted 
for as one adult, and children below 10 years are not at all taken into ac¬ 
count. Unless such agreements exist, the night-soil is much more ex¬ 
pensive, 12-13 Sen being paid for 1 ka ( = 82 kilograms = 22 kuwamme) i.e. 
55-60 Sen for 100 kuwamme. When bought from boats in a distance of 3-4 
ri from the city the price of 1 ka is 13-15 Sen, i. e. 60-70 Sen for 100 
kuwamme. 
2) One man can usually draw by hand on his two-wheeled cart about 
3 tubs of 15-16 kuwamme each to a distance of 2-4 ri (=8-16 kilometers) 
within half a working day. 
