The exclusion of meat does not, however, mean a limited diet in China. There are more than twenty varieties of beans and peas alone to choose from, and in addition, by-products of the bean, like bean curd, which are eaten in enormous quantities. "Cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, spinach, radishes, kale, familiar to Amertcans, and broccoli, cress, colewort, bamboo shoots, clover, dandelion, sowthistle, shepherd's purse, pigweed, purslane, ailanthus, tacca, succory, amaranthus, sweet. basil, artemesia, ginger, mustard, -and other vegetables for which we have no names are all served on the tables of the ordinary: man. Garlics, onions, chives, leeks, are eaten and smelled everywhere. Even a smal] food shop will display a score of different vegetables on its open shelf.
Rice and green vegetables, varied occasionally with pork, chicken, and fish, and quarts of hot water disguised as tea furnish an excellent diet for any man. In addition peanuts, vichy nuts, apricot and watermelon seeds are sold by' the handfuls on every corner for a copper. A greater variety of fruit is available to the Chinese workman of modest means than to the well-to-do man in America. The factories that give a reasonable wage and working conditions have operators whose round cheeks andj shining eyes are sufficient proof of the values in a Chinese diet of rice and vegetables.
Candy is very sparingly eaten by the better-class workmen. It is held responsible for much disease and decaying teeth, and in time for doctors'.bills, loss of work, debts, loss of fate.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.