J 4
Private enterprise, fostered by Government, has over long period reclaimed large areas from the sea for rice-growing, and converted many stretches of marsh into good first and second class padi-land. The local agriculturalist is not slow to avail himself of any means of increasing his area for rice-production, if the return justifies the outlay, so new ground continues to be broken in. Lately, too, land formerly disused has again been cultivated, and there is at present a certain amount of unauthorized encroachment on Crown land for precarious agriculture which it is difficult to trace, and which may later disappear.
(b) Vegetables. That all has not been done that might be done in producing vegetables for Hong Kong is shown by the recent large increase in this kind of cultivation. Castle Peak, Shatin and other places have for some years produced vegetables, but the difficulty and cost of transport has prevented the general spread of this industry, to which however no better encouragement could have been given than the withdrawal of Canton from the market during the recent boycott.
As an immediate result, larger areas than usual at Pingshan were under vegetables throughout the winter of 1925-26, and even some riceland now produces them as a main crop. The gradual return to normal trade conditions has, as was anticipated, caused a slight falling-off in vegetable-growing which, however, appears to have come to stay. Market-gardens are financed in some cases by companies with agencies in Hong Kong. The stimulus for this industry seems to come naturally from Hong Kong, whence buyers come out to the country, and make their own arrangements for transporting the vegetables they buy to the town. Vegetable-growing in the Territory depends entirely on the state of the market and the cost of transport. It is noteworthy that nearly all the vegetable seed used comes from Chinese Territory.
(c) Fruit, except pineapples, is mostly grown for local consumption. The Botanical and Forestry Experimental Garden at Fanling has done something to popularise certain fruits, for example an easily-grown and large papaya, which may now be found at Castle Peak and elsewhere.
(d) Ginger. The continued difficulty of getting supplies of ginger from Canton this year secured a market for the local product, which though small and less succulent than its up-Country neighbour, commanded a good price, selling in August at $11.00 a picul and later in September at $6.00 a picul. 2000 piculs in the Taipo area fetched about $15,000 and 6000 piculs at Yuen Long about $43,000.
(e) Laichees. The laichee crop was a total failure throughout the District, on account of bad weather which destroyed the blossom.
J 4
Private enterprise, fostered by Government, has over long period reclaimed large areas froin the sea for rice-growing, and converted many stretches of marsh into good first and second class padi-land. The local agriculturalist is not slow to avail himself of any means of increasing his area for rice-production, if the return. justifies the outlay, so new ground continues to be broken in. Lately, too, land formerly disused has again been cultivated, and there is at present a certain amount of unauthorized encroachment on Crown land for precarious agriculture which it is difficult to trace, and which may later disappear.
(b) Vegetables. That all has not been done that might be done in producing vegetables for Hong Kong is shown by the recent large increase in this kind of cultivation. Castle Peak, Shatin and other places have for some years produced vegetables, but the difficulty and cost of transport has prevented the general spread of this industry, to which however no better encouragement could have been given than the withdrawal of Canton from the market during the recent boycott.
As an immediate result, larger areas than usual at Pingshan were under vegetables throughout the winter of 1925-26, and even some riceland now produces them as a main crop. The gradual return to normal trade conditions has as was anticipated caused a slight falling-off in vegetable-growing which however, appears to have come to stay. Market-gardens are financed in some cases by companies with agencies in Hong Kong. The stimulus for this industry seems to come naturally from Hong Kong, whence buyers come out to the country, and make their own arrangements for transporting the vegetables they buy to the town. Vegetable-growing in the Territory depends entirely on the state of the market and the cost of transport. It is noteworthy that nearly all the vegetable seed used comes from Chinese Territory.
(c) Fruit, except pineapples, is mostly grown for local consumption. The Botanical and Forestry Experimental Garden at Fanling has done something to popularise certain fruits, for example an easily-grown and arge papaya, which may now be found at Castle Peak and elsewhere.
(d) Ginger. The continued difficulty of getting supplies of ginger from Canton this year secured a market for the local product, which though small and less succulent than its up- Country neighbour, commanded a good price, selling in August at $11.00 a picul and later in September at $6.00 a picul. 2000 piculs in the Taipo area fetched about $15,000 and 6000 piculs at Yuen Long about $43,000.
(e) Laichees. The laicher crop was а total failure throughout the District, on acount of bad weather which destroyed the blossom.
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