An extensive report en Chinese agriculture, including both its present status and methods, was Published to-day by the Department of Agriculture, was compiled by the Agri tural Commissioner, Mr. Nyhus of Shanghai, the data having been largely gathered on a boat trip up the Yangtze.
The report shows that tack of transportation has been the principal hampering factor in the economic development of Szechuan province, though present: road-building activities are considered valuable as affording help for the future.
Mx. Nyhus declared that the farmers of China have shown themselves to be skilled in the rotation of crops, as well as in adjusting their' activities to climate, nature of the soil and other factors. They have learned by experience what the Westerners have learned in Iaboratories, thus producing crops as large as the land and climatic conditions fare capable of developing in any given locality, The farmers possess adequate crop knowledge, in Mr. Nyhus' opinion, but they lack collective organizations outside the families and also lack official leadership, Thus the processes of stabilization of the agricultural situation are retarded.
At Chengtu there is evidence of proper progress in the use of modern improvements. One indication of this, according to. the American observer, is the fact that the city officials are in favour of street widening.—United Press, NANKING, Dee, 21:—The Ministry of Communications is in receipt of telegraphic petition from the Shanghai 'Navigation Aesociation urging that steps be immediately taken to. prevent Japaneve steamers from alling and trading at ports in the interior, which are not opened to foreign' navigation. The petition points out that inasmuch as the privilege of foreign ships to trade in the interior, ne provided. in the various treaties, is restricted solely to Treaty ports, therefore, such action on the part of Japanese steamers constitutes a violation of treaty provisions as well ment upon China's sovereign rights—Kuo Min,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.