The first condition development of sown course, be the existence of free land for. cultivation, and mot only, free! tand, but land which is suitable for such cultivation. It is very diffi-any correct figures on of free land, as in al-Chinese statistics are far from correct, and many differences of opinion exist. But there is, no doubt that the largest} evea of land suitable for cultivation to, be. the Kirin and! Psitsihar Provinces, and that in Both, these provinces there is stil uncuvivated land on which several millions of settlers could be placed.
In analysing the plans for the future reference should be made to the results of the past few years, there having been-an epoch of Yapid growth ig sown area right up to the years of economic hundred is taken as the sown area in 1024, then the following years show figures as follows: 1925-124, 1926-135, 1927- 145, 1927-187, 1929-167, 1990-162, 1981-168. would never! have been if it ad not been for the great flood of li migration from North and Central China into Manchuria, the most these settling in Northern Mi churia, in the lightly-populated tricts "of Kirin and Tsitsihar Pro-
To show the increase of popula tion during these years in compari son with. 1907, the following table gives. a full data, as published by the East Asiatic Bureau of Bconomie Research,
Mule 10.734 18.920 Provinces 19071925 Taltsibar 175 S3T Kirin sale - 7051
Increase in Sgures 61s "Total 10778 25.562 Increase "in per teent. S100 188
Most of this immigration was caused by famine, exploitation fSenerals" constant. milfary action find shortage of land, the fow of
of soul onigrants ing" one million the year 1027, and if deflucting' those' who lef¢ Blanchuria {ithe same. year, the. increase of population for account of emigrants Fetches over 70,000 persons, Bracaly doubling the nataral growth Sige annual increase from the flow the population, while the aver-cFemigrants daring the years 1923 fo $520, deducting the number who] eft the country. may be estimated jed from 1907 to jon of the Mukden Province increased by 40 per cent., while in the Kirin Province there Was an' increase of 200.5 and in Tsitsihar of 300 per cent. To these figures may be ascribed the rapid the sown aren of these tricts, Now, are there any reasons for supposing that this will go on at the same, rate for the next few] years? The present situation gives Dut little promise in this direction, and the influx of the Chinese ttlers is much more likely to be Jconsiderably decreased. As regards: emigrants from other countries, an article in "Finance and Commerce" (of May 3, 1923, Shanghai) says: As regards the possibilities for Europeans or Japanese to settle in Manchuria and engage in agriculture there is a definite view on this question, that only Koreans can. compete with Chinese ax agricul~ ton "The fact is that the Chinese in Manchuria on a plot of average size, say, five acres, can get hundred bushels of rice per annum from it, and selling this rice at} }$1.30 per bushel he is able to make profit, whereas in Japan the cost fof the rice is $5.60 per bushel.'
The article in. the above paper refers to rice only, but what refers: to rice may be taken for all grain, fand thus it is necessary for European or a Japanese who wishes to settle in Manchuria and become 'a competitor to bring his living Standard down to the level of the Chinese peasant, which ix by no means an easy task, From the figures which have been published by various economic bureau it will be seen that the only jevain in which sowings have infereased during the past few was bean, all the others decreasing or fluctuating within very small figures, the only exception being wheat," which has shown a slight inereai The economic situation of the Manchurian villages during the past ten years has brought rural econom: Jdown to a very low state, the dif ference between the extent of sown tarea and the growth of crops becoming more distinct from year tol s lyeer, the yield of the crop from the Rows area, decreasing annually, 'Thus, soya' beans with an increase fof sown area in ten years of 91 per cent. show an increase in. yield of only. 4 per cent, knoliang"tespectively shows $8 per cent. and 8 per fe ents millet 42 per cent and 9 per cent, maize 23 per cent and 1 per There are many who try to, make lout that these resulta are owing the insulfieleney of use of fertilesers {nthe rural economy. of Manchoria, but this in mot 30, the real reason Tying. in the fact, that. the peasant population has been too heavity Eited and has had to pay such hig fates of interes for financial pur. poses, that. they have not had riy. money: to. spare for improving their land or trying to. get better Yielis from the fields which they fave been working, as in most cases itey work on rented land, and not land which belongs to them.
Furthermore, the whole of the country has been ravaged. for yea by bandits who demand tribute in' fain from the peasant farmers and Fah them of their cattle. One of the first points. therefore that' the authorities must. undertake is the] maintenance of peace and order in ihe country and the organisation of felt-protective bands. Besides this, fas regards finances, it is necessary to create agricultural ce-operative socie sor credit institutions, which at a low rate of interest would be able to give loans for the purpose of buying seeds and ccaltural machinery.
19251927
7380 34
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.