'rmm .mv( - tl t, vw . - The Commoner. 2 --ii r jjr and plnoapplos. Tho apple tree was imported' from America about thirty-live ycaro ago; now apples aro exported to China, and Siberia. Tho most popular orango is tho tangerine, or hid glove orango as it is sometimes called; many of Ihcso aro imported. Thorc Is a kind of fruit called tho ban-tan grown on tho island of Kyushu. It looks some thing llko tho grapo fruit, but grows considerably largor and has a thicker skin; the moat is pinlc in color, sweeter and less juicy than tho grapo fruit. Pears grow here; one variety looks like a russet apple in shape and color. Peach trees aro sometimes trained ns wo train grapo vines on an arbor so Hint I ho orchard seems to have a flat roof of foliage. They havo hero, too, persimmons as largo as apples and as solid. "Wo found these on tho tablo in all parts of the island and there are Hoveral varieties. Tho grapo is cultivated in .Tapan, but wo did not see grape vines in such profusion as thoy aro seen in southern Europe, along tho lakes in western Now York or in Cali fornia. And, in this connection, I may add that wine is not used hero to tho extent that it is in some other countries, tho national drink, sake, being mado from fermented rice. Ordinarily this bovorago contains from eleven to fourteen per cent of alcohol, but thero Is a stronger kind called shochu, which contains as much as fifty per cent of alcohol. It is evident, however, that liquor by any other nnmo can be as intoxicating as our whisky and wo found at Tokio a national temperance society with branches throughout tho empire. Mr. Ando, the1 president of this society, is a Jupnnqse gentleman of great earnestness and intelligence who was converted to Christianity u low yoars ago when ho was representing his country in Honolulu. While, as I havo- Btated in another article, I havo seen no evidences of drunkenness, Mr. Ando informs me that his society lias ample work toclo. I carry back with me a baUgo which the society bestowed on learning of my total abstlncnco habits. I have only men tioned the leading products of the field, but I can not leave the cultivators of the soil without a word concerning tho gardens. They are so cuto, occupying as thoy do the little nooks and corners that can not be utilized for the large crops. 'Thoro does .not seem to be a square inch of ground wasted. Tho vegetables are planted in rows which aro either straight or curved, never crooked, and wo have scarce! v seon n wppri tw. - V " -. II VVWI ' J 4AUli mizor Is extensively used, being kept in stone op.-.JUnertea. cement vats protected from the .reWfm JSAlSi' rofuse from closets which is utroduction of aowacfl Rvatama hn iioo onmn. what impeded in some cities by tho fact that Howago would be an oxpenso while closets arc now a source of profit. It must be confessed, how over, that tho present system tends to make fresh vegetables unpopular with tho tourist. Most travelers land at Yokohama and depart at Kobo, or land at Kobe and depart at Yoko hama, theso being tho two principal ports. As these1 are about 300 miles apart, one has a chance to see much of tho farming land from tho rail road Tho side trips from Toldo to N?kko from Yokohama to Miyanoshita and from Kyoto to Nara, give additional opportunities for seeing XaMop at, wopk but th0 ria from Kobo west to Shimonoseki surpasses any of theso to InteTSt and in beauty of scenery. As this routo leads along tho sea coast as well as through densely populated valleys, thero is greater variety Now J i I ' ita 1ltt,wiarent waters, its little harbors and its fleets of fishing boats; now he winds hil way along a stream vith falls and rmiids and E ?t?thrlarT b" bS wagon Dilutes, on tho one side he sees a iinmimn grovo and on tho other a tiny giaveyard or a little hill dedicated to a Shinto shrine-stono stops ascend bur nimu n si,.i.t "; "ie Slono J J blUWUU. ill liaSSlnP' nVQK l.Jr. ..11 . j the Japanese-Chinese Li Hung Chang drafted treaty in 1894. Mining is an industry of considerable impor tance here. Gold, silver and copper are found in paying quantities. More than six million dol lars worth of copper was exported last year. One of the gold fields on tho island of Kyushu, near Kogoshlma, gives promise of considerable richness. Coal is found in such abundance that tho exports of this commodity have amounted to nearly ten million dollars in a single year. A hard quality of smokeless coal has recently been 9 discovered in western Japan. The islands also produce a number of varie ties of valuable woods. The camphor tree grows to an enormous size, a gigantic statue of the Goddess of Mercy in one of tho temples at Ka makurh being carved from a single camphor log. The value of the camphor exported from Japan last year exceeded a milion and a half dollars. Among tho hard woods suitable for carving, cherry seems -to be the most popular. Of all tho trees, however, the bamboo is the most useful. Just at this time when the return ing soldiers are being welcomed it is present everywhere in the form of flag poles, and there is nothing that equals it for this purpose; long, slender, light and strong, it is just the thing for flags and banners, and when a little plume of leaves is left at the top, it is still more beautiful. The bamboo is used for water pipes and for fences, for furniture and picture tubes, for dip pers, baskets, fishing poles, flower vases, candle sticks, wicker work, etc., etc. In wood carving tho Japanese have long been skilled. Specimens of work done hundreds of years ago and testifying to their taste no less than to their deftness of hand may be seen in the ancient palaces and temples. Stone cutting is also an ancient industry here. There is an abundance of stone and granite and the lanterns, Korean lions and sacred gates have furnished subjects for many a chisel. Osaka seems to bo the center of the stone cutting industry. The iron industry is represented by an in creasing number of establishments. In many instances workmen have been brought from abroad and employed until Japanese artisans were sufficiently trained to take their place. Much of the iron work is still done in little shops and by hand, although machinery is being imported in large quantities. I visited a tannerv nf Trnc.ivr;.crT:'rr!rr .hat the WotavrfnTTeven years ,n mc uuamess ana tnat on his slit native lioin paoVi vo-r.nv. p the business. He fa now turning out an excellent product. A One of the nlost promising industries in Japan is cotton spinning. There are a number of factories already ,ih operation and new ones are building. I visited one of the plants of the Osaka Nippon Bosfeki Kalshs at Osaka. This SSTC? m ab0Ur 8eventy thousand spindles S5? n employ noUlIns but native labor. Foreign artisans were used in the beginning but are no longer needed. A great many women are employed and some children; for the latter a buildwS "SSSBea fW; tW0 Ws to thS building. Cotton yarn is now selling for about forty cents a pound and is becoming one of the leading articles of export; China is the largest purchaser. Some idea of the growth of S f5??w05, imlUStry can satheroT from SS fact that the exports of cotton yarn amounted to www u 4K4.U uiuwii in nirDT -. !111 Ho Z'M-i us? VMS -ww.b lllv: muuames or the sea const n wol as tlioflo of tho inland, and besides visit the Shimonoseki Strait which la of w2SK interest to Americans. The Sanyo railroad which connects Kobo and ShimonosekUs weU wuTni e and well managed and has built an exce len hotel The Sanyo, at Shimonoseki for the accom modation of its patrons. From this point a 8te?m or runs to Fusan. tho nearest Korean port whero direct connection is made for Seoul Si tPJ capital. From NMoji, jSst across the l S one is shown tho1 ifSg 1898 to over ten niillions an5 during" the last twS years it has averaged about MteenmnSoS W At Osaka I also visited a brush tn,inQf i ound that tarn bones importea from the 'slaui America. Hero, too, tliey have dispensed with MS? laLor which thGy Plwa to tS andtfrervarievma in abnnce and 5iSelSe?S3S?l,t0f POrceIain dollars last year In Kvntn iS two million and found two rooms nf which HTl A P?ttery duct was displayed- thp flQt Li?0, flnisned pro specimens of Japanese Bw cntal?ed beautiful and dainty in decoration .L gl'acefuI ta shaPe VQDJ7MB "NUMBER 6 glazing of which is of a peculiar tint and -has a crackled appearance. The secret of the manu facture of this waro was brought from Korea by the captives taken in war somo three hundred years ago, and the industry still flourishes in Japan, although it has perished in Korea. Kog oshima is the center for Satsuma ware, and a colony of Koreans living near there, aB well as Japanese manufacturers, produce excellent speci mens. JUacquer work has been done in Japan from time immemorial, samples of which, centuries old, can be seen in temples, palaces and museums. When gold and silver are' used in connection with the lacquer the product is often very valuable. The bronzes produced in the little shops scattered over Japan give play to the artistic taste which one finds here. Osaka and Kyoto are noted for their bronzes. Sometimes various metals are inlaid in the form of flowers, birds, animals and landscapes producing a most pleas ing effect. Then there are damascine factories and places for embroidery and for pictures made in cut velvet, etc., etc. No one can pass through Japan without being impressed with the taste, which seems to be na tional, and with the delicate skill which has been handed down from generation to generation. And nothing, in my judgment, more clearly ex hibits this union of taste and skill than the cloi sanne work. Upon a metallic base, as a vase, placque or box, an artist draws a design; this design is then outlined with fine wires of gold and silver, then enamels of various colors are filled in. "Wlion the enamels are hardened and the whole polished, the product is a thing of mar velous beauty. I have not space to speak of some of tho minor industries, such as paper making, matches (in which Japan monopolizes the trade of the east) fans, umbrellas, lanterns, napkins, etc. ine Japanese lantern which we use for ornamen tation is here a practical thing-, in daily, or rather nightly, use. These lanterns hang in front of the houses and are carried on the streets. They are also used for illumination on festive occasions; at the time of the naval review and the reception to Admiral Togo, Yokohama and Tokio -were illumined by these lanterns as I never saw an American city lighted. When Japan was opened to the commerce of the world, there were few business housed or trading establishments of any size. Now thero are several department stores and large whole sale houses, besides manufactories and trading companies of importance. One business man in lokio, Mr. K, Okura, has a private collection of curios valued at one million dollars which he offered to sell in Europe or America, the proceeds to bo given to the government for carrying on the war against Russia. Osaka has a successful business man who has earned the name of tho ,,Sese, Carnegie" by giving a fine library building to that city. As an evidence that the Japanese merchants are patterning after their American brethren, ISM mention that a number of the stores displayed notices offering especial discounts to our gallant allies, the blue jackets;" that a brewing company began a large newspaper ad Z "w "Welcome to the British Squad J on, and that another merchant, after extending nv!lf,atJllati0?011 the Anglo-Japanese Alliance." n d Hi6 Vlsit(2rs t0 try hIs "lum Puddings aflfanc?? en3y sweetaess of the Consul General Miller, at Yokohama, and SS? Ph at Kobe' nished me with 'inter ?!n?J? statistics regarding the commerce- of Japan. Exports have increased from about eighty millions in 1891 to about three hundred and twenty millions in 1904; during the same pertod imports increased from a littlo more than sixty three millions to a little more than threehin?dSd and seventy-one millions. While our country S 1HS 5LJ?pan than Great Britain anBrtish In dia, she buys more than any other nation from 22Ti' 0upf cW exports to Japan Inst year wer ers and SSS 0cora?tive "& Bteam bSE cotton and oil were by -far the molt valuable SfflonaSS" t0 mrVba rapidU ers have increased from four hundred "and Sv one to twelve hundred and twenty-four and her sailing vessels from one hundred T and ninety-six to three thousand five hundred and twenty-three There are now two hu red private ship yards in Japan, and-Jn 1903 thoy ' built i two Hundred and soventy-nino vessels.. The japaS . icaO-' . "v ''' 'V '"-;-sti -. P5SSi!w-Ivrtw .7TWT0W, ", . T'Tl.-P ,W-.. -.i "T kLjy t hKH