Although the temperature down here has averaged 91 in the shade move not experienced this year any-at midday for the Ins 11 days, we
thing approaching to the intense heat of last summer. In 1925 the readings for the last four days of Tule were as follows, 100, 102, 101 and 102, and for the first four days of July, 90, 92, 102, 99, The readings for the last four days of Jung this summer were 90, 79, 84, 84, and far the first four days of 2his'present month 74, 84, 79, 80. A good deal more rain fell shis year in June than in June of 1925. The month's xainfaMl for June 1925 was 4.53 finches, This year June's rainfall was 8.22 inches. We have scarcely had a drop of rain since July 10y) and a distinctly higher emperture than during the time when rain was more abundar The farmer's lot has been a much happier one this summer than las, and at the present time his prospects ate of a distinctly hopeful character, A Picturesque Scene There is one picturesque scene that hot weather soon puts an end to, und that ig long processions, cattle as they are led from the south up into the northern districts. tthe south around Huangyen much of the farm labour done by oxen and cattle generally, such as ploughing and making the land ready for seed, ig finished earlier than in the northern Tinctal district. The custom is then to march the southern cattle up into the Tin-tai dustries, and sell then there to farmers who still have muck of their field Jabour to perform.
Those entitle travel rather more} than 100 miles, that is over 300 Il. They are leaned up and garlanded with ribbons, and carefully fitted with straw shoes for the journey. Away they go in groups consisting sometimes of a dozen, sometimes more and less. Their leaders deal very gently and thoughtfully with them' as they trudge along. They pay. special attention to their fe villages en route, They have their regular camping grounds for night, invariably with a good watering place at hand. In the early morning as soon as the cattle and their owners have had their food, and a good long drink, and the cattle have had their cents brushed down, their ribbons tied securely, and their hoes again fastened on, the proce sion once more makes a start. As rule one man takes charge of two beasts, sometimes three, very rarely as far as I have observed, will he have to look after more than three full grown, 'A Chinese Cattle Market They are on their way to the market. They must be kep: in as ood condition as possible, for naturally as big a price as can be obtained is aimed at. When at last they reach the market town thay og far as time allows, well groomed again and fed, and then off they go to meet their fate. It was ust outside the little town of Ko-deo 1 saw a few weeks ago a Chine: cattle market for the first time, was held within and on the outskirts of " grove of tall shady trees, There wore scores of cattle. Water but-tales, great Heavy, clumsy beast Yooking as if they were utter! indifferent to all the flattering a truths their owners were telling about them. A few may have been experiencing something of the feeling of the Irish Editor when he congrabuloted himself that half the Hes} told about him were untrue! They wore fetching anything from $50 to $60 each, Near by were some full grown cows, tiny little thingy about throe foot high, but full of life and energy. There' were young bulls about in plenty ready to fight all and any who Would or rather could accept their challenge, Owners were] vein some cases holding their animal uygte, others' were walking, one up! still amidst @ group of prospective
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.