[Illustration:  LIBRARY AND WORKSHED OF A YOUNG MEN’S ASSOCIATION. p. 15]

Again, there used to be no cattle in the village, but now, thanks to the purchase of young animals by the association, and thanks to village shows, there are 103.

There is a competition to get the biggest yield of rice, and there is also “an exhibition of crops.”  This exhibition incidentally aims at ending trouble between landlord and tenants due to complaints of the inferiority of the rice brought in as rent. (Paddy-field rent is invariably paid in rice.) These complaints are more directly dealt with by the V.A.A. arbitrating between landlords and tenants who are at issue.  In addition to rice crop and cattle shows in the village, there is a yearly exhibition of the prod ucts of secondary industries, such as mats, sandals and hats.

The V.A.A. is also working to secure the planting of hill-side waste.  Some 300,000 tree seedlings have been distributed to members of the Y.M.A., who “grow them on,” and, after examination and criticism, plant them out.  I must not omit to speak of the V.A.A.s’ distribution of moral and economic diaries of the type already referred to.  The villagers, in the spirit of boy-scoutism, are “advised to do one good thing in a day.”  I saw several of these diaries, well thumbed by their authors after having been laboured at for a year.  One young farmer noted down on the space for January 2 that he said his prayers and then went daikon[24] pulling, and that daikon pulling (like our mangold pulling) is a cold job.

FOOTNOTES: 

[18] There are, however, 11,000 members of Y.M.C.A. in Japan.  There is also a Y.W.C.A. with a considerable membership.

[19] See Appendix II.

[20] For official action in regard to the Y.M.A.s, see later.

[21] The damage done by insects is estimated at 10 million yen a year.  In some parts locusts are roasted and eaten.

[22] For an account of the processes of rice cultivation, see Chapter IX.

[23] It is the practical Japanese custom to make a gift of money to a family on the occasion of a death.  The Emperor makes a present to the family of a deceased statesman.

[24] The giant white radish which reaches 2 or 3 ft. in length and 3 in. or more in diameter.  There is also a correspondingly large turnip-shaped sort.

CHAPTER IV

“THE SIGHT OF A GOOD MAN IS ENOUGH”

It has been said that we should emulate rather than imitate them.  All I say is, Let us study them.—­MATTHEW ARNOLD

For seven years in succession the men, old, middle-aged and young, who had done the most remarkable things in the agriculture of the prefecture had been invited to gather in conference.  I went to this annual “meeting of skilful farmers.”  Among the speakers were the local governor and chiefs of departments who had been sent down by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Home Office.  According to our ideas, everybody but the unpractised speakers—­the expert farmers who were called from time to time to the platform—­spoke too long.  But the kneeling audience found no fault.  Indeed, a third of it was taking notes.  It was an audience of seeking souls.