Another source of loss is the caking of part of the rice brought from Wuhu. "In order to get the grain away before a new likin. came into operation, the crop was hurriedly harvested, and' insufficiently dried, with the result that it has hardened in some cases into great masses which are useless as food. The southern Chinese are particular about the quality of their rice at all times, and such stuff is an abomination tu them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.