Chinese Cotton Cultivation.—Yellow Cotton.—District where it grows.—Cotton Country described.—Soil.—Manure, and Mode of Application.—Preceding Crops.—Time of sowing.—Method.—Rains.—Summer Cultivation.—Early Rain advantageous.—Time of reaping and gathering. Cotton Farmers and their Families.—Drying and cleaning Process described.—Marketing.—Independence of the Seller.—Crowded Streets in Shanghae during the Cotton Season.—Warehouses and Packing—Home Consumption.—Stalks used for Fuel.
[CHAPTER XV.]
Climate of China.—Summer and Winter.—Temperature of Hong-kong—of Shanghae.—Monsoons.—Typhoons.—Signs of their Approach.—Description of a Typhoon witnessed by the Author.—Effect produced upon Vegetation.—Rains.—Wet and dry Seasons.—Meteorological Table.
[CHAPTER XVI.]
Chinese Agriculture.—Exaggerated Statements regarding its Advancement.—Soil of the Hills.—Tea Land—Soil of the Plains.—Summer Crops.—Rice and its Cultivation.—Chinese Plough and Harrow.—Number of Crops produced.—Method of obtaining two Crops of Rice in Summer in the Province of Chekiang.—Rice Harvest.—Terrace Cultivation described.—The Tein-ching Plant, from which the Northern Indigo is obtained.—Summer Hill Crops.—Cultivation of sweet Potatoes.—Earth Nuts.—Winter Crops.—Celebrated Shan-tung Cabbage.—Oil Plant.—Wheat, Barley, etc.—Ripening of Winter Crops.—Manures.—Two Plants cultivated for this Purpose.—Their Cultivation and Mode of Application.—A Manure for mixing with Seeds.—Its Utility.—Other Manures in common use.—Manure Tanks.—Night Soil and Urine.—Mode of Application.—Succession anti Rotation of Crops.
[CHAPTER XVII.]
Return to Chusan.—Its supposed Unhealthiness.—Mortality amongst the Queen's Troops when first stationed there.—Subsequent Salubrity.—Its Advantages over Hong-kong as a British Settlement.—New Plants found on the Island.—Ning-po.—Gardens of the Mandarins.—Manners of Chinese Ladies.—Sail for Hong-kong.—Tombs of the Chinese.—Situations supposed to be the best.—Soothsayers employed.—Their Methods of working on the Minds of the People.—Mr. Lay consulted as to the best Site for a Grave.—Inscriptions on the Tombs.—Periodical Visits to them by Relatives.—Different Modes of Interment.—Coffins exposed in the Fields.—Kept in Houses.—Tombs near Sung-kiang-foo.—Favourite Flowers for planting on the Graves.
[CHAPTER XVIII.]
Plants shipped for England.—Sail for Manila.—Natural Productions and Exports—Passport Annoyances.—The Interior of Luzon.—Its Laguna.—Early Morning in the Philippines.—Valuable Plants procured.—The "Queen of Orchids."—Natural Habits of Air-Plants.—Lawless Banditti of the Interior.—A false Alarm.—Monkeys more harmless than Men.—A Night at Dolores with the Padre.—Volcanoes in the Philippines.—General Appearance of the Country.—Leeches not very agreeable Companions.—Return to Manila and ship Plants for England.—Sail for the north of China.—"A Man overboard."—His Recovery by a gallant Boat's Crew.—Arrive in the North.