This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 Excerpt: ...out over a smooth, hard-beaten earth floor in the open air, and thresh it either with flails, or by rolling over it a stone drawn by a donkey. When a breeze comes, the grain is tossed in the air, the kernels falling straight, and the chaff and dust being blown away. In the use of manure and in irrigation the Chinese ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 Excerpt: ...out over a smooth, hard-beaten earth floor in the open air, and thresh it either with flails, or by rolling over it a stone drawn by a donkey. When a breeze comes, the grain is tossed in the air, the kernels falling straight, and the chaff and dust being blown away. In the use of manure and in irrigation the Chinese are very proficient. Manure is gathered from all conceivable sources. In the cities all the night-soil is taken from the houses, gathered from the streets and alleys, mixed with clay, and dried in the sun, and is then sold to farmers. On country roads where horses, mules, and camels pass, numerous men, boys, and girls gather up the material to spread on the fields. Earth from canals, rivers, and streets is carted away for the same purpose. "Other substances are diligently collected," says Will iams, "such as hair from the barber shops, exploded firecrackers, sweepings from the streets, lime and plaster from kitchens and old buildings, soot, bones, and animal remains." In this occupation tens of thousands of people make a living. In irrigating his land, the farmer uses many devices. He directs running water, if it is procurable, over his land into large channels. These are banked in with clay and subdivided into small streamlets until all the land has been reached. If there is no running water, a well is dug, and the water drawn up by hand and poured into the main ditches, from which small ditches branch out. Sometimes holes are dug in which rain-water accumulates. I noticed some curious things at the hills. At times the ravines would be as dry as a bone. Then in July and August great rains came, and at the chief outlet, where several ravines came together, one could swim a horse. I have often seen the torrent of water in some...
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Add this copy of China and Her People, Volume 1... to cart. $63.22, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Nabu Press.
