し
12.
17
4.
the lowlands are available for "dry" and "wet" cultivation.
In most tropical countries such areas are generally available.
The question of soil plays an important part in crop production
and inevitably there must be areas which are more or less
barren from this point of view. Such types of soil are easily
recognised and where land is important and it is possible to
improve them to some small degree, efforts are not spared to
do so.
New Territories Agriculture.
Present Agricultural Areas
-
In the New Territories,
cultivation is practically confined to the level areas
where production is on an intensive scale, the staple
crops produced being Rice, Sweet Potatoes, Ground Nuts,
Sugar Cane, Pineapples and Fruit, in a descending scale.
In addition, intensive cultivation of Fresh Vegetables
(often as a Catch Crop) is taking place.
Of these crops
Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables enter largely into local
operations as foodstuffs for Pig breeding purposes. The
lower slopes and foothills are devoted to the production
of small Pine trees (under the leased lot system) for fuel
purposes. The upper slopes are kept under grass by
extensive grass cutting for fodder and other purposes
and by burning off, as previously stated. Hence these
areas in their present state, though they contribute to
the economic life of the community under the present
system of operation, contribute comparatively little to
the general sum of agricultural products. It is considered
that agriculturally, these areas should be much more
productive and be made a much more valuable factor in the
economic life of the community. This can be accomplished
by a proper appreciation of their value and by placing
them in their correct relationship to established
agricultural principles and practices as set forth in the
two preceding paragraphs.