From Our Own Correspondent, Pochow, An., Jan. 22.
It has been dry here for the fall. Not a full crop of wheat was planted and there has been almost no rain or snow since September till last Sunday, when we had ai fair rain, ending up in snow. In some sections much of the wheat has died. Food prices are just about as high as they were a year ago, notwithstanding a full autumn crop. It looks as if prices will never come down much. Masons and carpenters are now getting 330! and 400 cash per day where two! years ago they earned 250 and 300, Notwithstanding these prices, it is possible to get poor people as coolies for 140 cash per day. A little work is being done with some money the mission had left over last year from delayed grain from the north which had to be sold' after it reached Pengpu, because famine conditions were over. Thousands could be enlisted at this nominal price, but only about 200° are working.
We have had no really cold wear ther. The lowest thermometer reading has been 16 degrees above. On November 26, we had 20 above. We have not gathered any ice for the two reasons that the ponds have all been dry for a good while and then it has not been sufficiently cold for long enough at a time to freeze it well.
Rev. W. D. Bostick, who returned from America, in September, is busy putting up a home and also a building for an industrial school. Ho has the fullest school he has ever had, and is working to get' a dairy well established. and to have farm work well started.
Mr. and Mrs. G. P. Bostick, have had to go to P.U.M.C. Hospital and were much impressed with that great and highly equipped institution. It is possible that in all the world there is no hospital more completely equipped with all the most modern appliances.
Rockefeller certainly has brought marvellous opportunities right to the doors of the Chinese, both for caring for the sick and training Chinese in caring for them.
Areport from Dairen mentions that three new cotton mills are likely to be established in Manchuria shortly, backed by Japanese capital. The capacity of the first of these is not mentioned, but the second is to be of 30,000 spindles and the third of 20,000 spindles, wide probably a branch establishment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.