In Kochi the first crop is sown about March 15, the seedlings are put out in mid-May and the harvest is ready about August 10.  The second crop, which has been sown in June, is ready with its seedlings from August 13 to August 15, and the harvest arrives about November 1 and 2.  The first crop may yield about 3 koku, the second 1-1/2 koku.

A good deal depends in raising a big crop on a good seed bed.  This is got by reducing the quantity of seed used and by applying manure wisely.  Whereas formerly as much as from 5 to 7 go of seed was sown per tsubo, the biggest crops are now got from 1 go.

The Japanese names of the most widely grown varieties are Shinriki, Aikoku, Omachi, Chikusei and Sekitori.  At an experiment station I copied the names of the varieties on exhibition there:  Banzai, Patriotism, Japanese Embroidery, Good-looking, Early Power of God, Bamboo, Small Embroidery, Power of God, Mutual Virtue, Yellow Bamboo, Late White, Power of God (glutinous), Silver Rice Cake and Eternal Rice Field.

There are several thousand cho in the vicinity of Tokyo where, owing to the low temperature of the marshy soil, the seed is sown direct in the paddies, not broadcast but at regular intervals and in thrice or four times the normal quantities.

RATE OF PLANTING [XXII].  I have been told that an adult who has the seedlings brought to his or her hand can stick in a thousand an hour.  The early varieties may be set in clumps of seven or eight plants; middle-growth sorts may contain from five to six; the latest kind may include only three or four.  The number of clumps planted may be 42 per tsubo, which, as a tsubo is nearly four square yards, is about ten per square yard.  The clumps are put in their places by being pushed into the mud.  A straight line is kept by means of a rope.  The success of the crop depends in no small degree on skilful planting.

HOW MUCH RICE DOES A JAPANESE EAT? [XXIII].  The daily consumption of rice per head, counting young and old, is nearly 3 go. (A go is roughly a third of a pint.) A sturdy labourer will consume at least 5 go in a day, and sometimes 7 or even 10 go.  The allowance for soldiers is 6 go.  These quantities represent the rice uncooked.  In recent years more and more rice has been eaten by those who formerly ate barley or mainly barley.  And some who once ate a good deal of millet and hiye are now eating a certain amount of rice.  The average annual consumption per head of the Japanese population (Korea and Formosa excluded from the calculation) was:  1888-93, 948 go; 1908-13, 1,037 go; 1913-18, 1,050 go.  The averages of 25 years (1888-1912) were:  production, 42,756,584 koku; consumption, 44,410,725 koku; deficit, 1,984,970 koku; population, 45,140,094; per head, 0.980 koku.  In 1921 the Department of Agriculture, estimating a population of 55,960,000 (see Appendix XXX) and an annual consumption per head of 1.1 koku per year, put the national consumption for a year at about 61,550,000 koku.  See also Appendix XXVI.