The Chinese farmer with his sim ple needs ina world of extraordin bry economic complications continues play the unenviable role of being one of its most humble economic facors. {f contentment goes along with his life, which seems apparent, then the statistics must be accepted. Acsarding to the National Agricultural Research Bureau at Nanking, whic studies the problems of the Chinese farmer very thoroughly, the pur= chase of food grains sill constitutes fa heavy expense for Chinese farms ing families. A survey of 2451 localities revealed that in order to make up family needs an average of 35 percent, of farmers purchased grain. The explanation is said to be due to the small farms in China and also to the fact that farmers are often compelled to sell. their cxops after the harvest to pay off their debts and later must buy grain cover their food requirements as conditions demand. The latest report of the Bureau also reveals more timate details of life in the Chinese farming family. Other purchases. average families are tabulated, for medium-sized farm family, as fole lows: G8 catties of sugar, 601 catties of salt, 472. catties of all, 274 catties of kerosene, 70 boxer matches and 14 pieces of soap, Sugar, salt and elf and matches are primary necessities in every family, but the Bureau estimates that only 54 per cent. of farm families purchase kerosene and only 34 per cent, purchase soap—these commodities "aipparently being replaced with homemade products which fil the bill,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.