Japan being of volcanic origin, much of its soil is unfit for
cultivation. The total productive area amounts to less than thirty per
cent., and even of this only a small portion is capable of being
tilled by modern methods. At present only twelve per cent. of the
whole surface of the country is devoted to agriculture, even including
pasturing. There is, however, but little pasturing, and the principal
implement of cultivation is the spade. The modern plough is unknown.
But manure (principally domestic manure and fish refuse) is very
generously used, and by this means the returns are abundant. The
principal food crop is RICE. Other food crops are wheat, barley, and
the soya bean, but these not numerously so. The principal cultivated
products for purposes of commerce are the mulberry tree (for
supporting the silkworm), the tea plant, the lacquer tree, and the
camphor tree. Rice also is grown for export as well as for home
consumption, and COTTON is very largely grown for home manufacture. No
milk, butter, or cheese is produced, scarcely any meat, no wood, and
scarcely any leather. (For boots and shoes paper is used instead of
leather.) Of cattle there are only 1,000,000, as compared with
10,000,000 in the British Isles, although the population of Japan is
considerably the greater. Of horses there are 1,500,000, and the
raising of horses is much encouraged by the government, but
principally for military purposes. Horses, indeed, are but little
employed. In cities, for purposes of carriage and cartage, men are
used instead of horses. Even in rural districts horses are unknown for
farming purposes, and not even the hand-cart or wheelbarrow is used.
Everything is carried. Fruit is much raised,--oranges, apples,
walnuts, plums, peaches, and grapes,--but Japanese fruits are of very
inferior quality. FLOWERS are raised everywhere in great variety and
in great abundance, and the chrysanthemum is the emblem of the country
and is used on postage stamps.