Farmers of forty centuries; or, Permanent agriculture in China, Korea and Japan . moved in digging the miles of canal and inbuilding the long sea walls. In Shanghai we saw the mud which iscarried through the storm sewers into Soochow creek beingremoved in the same manner during the intervals when the tidewas out. In still another field (Fig. 78) canal mud had been applied ata rate exceeding 70 tons per acre, and we were told that suchdressings would be repeated as often as every two years if otherand cheaper fertilizers could be obtained. In the lower portion ofFig. 78 may be seen the section
Farmers of forty centuries; or, Permanent agriculture in China, Korea and Japan . moved in digging the miles of canal and inbuilding the long sea walls. In Shanghai we saw the mud which iscarried through the storm sewers into Soochow creek beingremoved in the same manner during the intervals when the tidewas out. In still another field (Fig. 78) canal mud had been applied ata rate exceeding 70 tons per acre, and we were told that suchdressings would be repeated as often as every two years if otherand cheaper fertilizers could be obtained. In the lower portion ofFig. 78 may be seen the section of canal from which this mudwas taken up the three earthen stairways built of the mud such lines of stairway were seen during our trips along the 152 TRAMPS AFIELD canals. To facilitate collecting the mud from the shallow canalstemporary dams are thrown across them at two places and thewater between the dams scooped or pumped out, laying the bottonbare. The earth of the large grave mound seen across a canal in ^^ Iz^--^ <^*- ^ ? -^^ ^- L* *i .^;, ? ? ^. Fig. 78. - Section of field covered with piles of canal mud recently applied at therate of more than 70 tons per acre; taken out of the canal up the three flightsof earth steps shown in the lower part of the figure. the centre background of the upper portion of the engraving hadbeen collected in this manner. In the Chekiang province canal mud is extensively used in themulberry orchards as a surface dressing. We have referred to this EXCHANGE OF SOIL 153 practice in southern China, and Fig. 79 is a view taken south ofKashing early in April. The boat anchored in front of the mulberryorchard is the home of a family coming from a distance, seekingemployment during the season for picking mulberry leaves to feedsilkworms. We were much surprised, on looking back at theboat after closing the camera, to see the head of the family stand-ing erect in the centre, having shoved back a section of the mattingroof. The dressi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectagriculture, bookyear
