Grain and Fruit Prospects: Port's Advantages as a Summer Resort From Our Own Correspondent, Chinkiang, July 17.
That most interesting subject of comment and conversation, the weather, has been uppermost in the minds of all for the past few weeks. The rain has been falling in torrents, and the fields were being flooded, while the prospects for the farmer were getting mora and more hopeless, and all of us were depressed in. spirit. But finally, though grudgingly, out comes the sun again, and fine weather smiles upon us once more. The farmers declare that just a little more of such long-continued rains and the crops would hava been done for.
But it was not only the rice crop that was in danger, for it looked as if we were not to have the usual supply of fina peaches that are found in the markets here at this season. These are the delicious white peaches of the freestone variety which come down from Tsingkiangpu and Huaianfu. These peaches are easily tha best to be found in all this part of China. It is hoped that the Shanghai markets get their share of this delicious fruit.
The number of foreigners who now remain in Chinkiang during the summer months is annually increasing. This is due to tha fact, no doubt, that all the newer residents are coming to a clearer realization of the advantages of Chinkiang as a place of abode for the summer. This would apply particularly to those who have homes on the hills.
.It may be recalled by some of the older residents in this part of China, that 30 years ago this port was, to some extent, a summer resort, and every year thera were a goodly number of visitors who found a pleasant change in a few weeks' stay here, with opportunities of picnics and rambles amongst the hills, and visita to the old temples found here and there. One often wonders just why more has not been made of the hills lying just alittle further away, say, six or seven miles. These are possibly over a thousand feet in height. There are temples on them, which would indicate an available supply of water. Why go so far away to Kuling and elsewhere, when we have such places much nearer at hand?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.