1887-1903
229
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
15
also largely used for the salting and drying of fish, for which purpose it seems to be preferred to the locally manufactured salt. The manufacture of salt is an industry which is likely to increase and develop in the New Territory, and which is worthy of being encouraged seeing the important connection it has with the food supply of the Chinese, one of whose staple articles of food is salt fish.
Fisheries.
There are no fisheries of any importance. The local demand for salt and fresh fish is met by fleets of fishing junks and a large number of net stations, the fish that are required for salting being dried and salted on the beach.
(C.) AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES AND BOTANICAL STATIONS.
The principal agriculture in the New Territory is the cultivation of rice, which is almost entirely used for the consumption of the population, a small quantity being exported to the neighbouring towns in Chinese territory. It is estimated that there are 90,000 acres under rice cultivation.
The next most important agriculture is that of sugar. There are about 750 acres growing cane, which is crushed in 81 sugar mills of a very primitive nature scattered over the territory.
The total value of the sugar produced annually is about $175,000, rather more than half that sum being required to cover wages and other expenses of crushing.
A fourth of the sugar produced is used for local consumption, the rest being exported to Hong Kong and Canton.
New varieties of cane have been imported by the Botanical and Afforestation Department, which have been planted at certain places in the territory as an experiment.
Pine-apples are cultivated to a considerable extent and two factories, under Chinese management, in which they are canned are established in Hong Kong.
The annual output amounts to about 39 tons, of which a considerable quantity is sold locally, the rest being exported to England, America, Russia, and Formosa.
New varieties of pine-apple plants have been imported by the above-mentioned department and have been introduced into the districts where the fruit is cultivated.
Camphor trees are grown to some extent in the New Territory, and experiments are being made with a view to ascertaining the quality of the camphor that can be produced from them.
1887-1903
229
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
15
also largely used for the salting and drying of fish, for which purpose it seems to be preferred to the locally manufactured salt. The manufacture of salt is an industry which is likely to increase and develop in the New Territory, and which is worthy of being encouraged seeing the important connection it has with the food supply of the Chinese, one of whose staple articles of food is salt fish.
Fisheries.
There are no fisheries of any importance. The local demand for salt and fresh fish is met by fleets of fishing junks and a large number of net stations, the fish that are required for salting being dried and salted on the beach.
(C.) AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES AND BOTANICAL STATIONS,
The principal agriculture in the New Territory is the cultiva- tion of rice, which is almost entirely used for the consumption of the population, a small quantity being exported to the neigh- bouring towns in Chinese territory. It is estimated that there are 90,000 acres under rice cultivation.
The next most important agriculture is that of sugar. There are about 750 acres growing cane, which is crushed in 81 sugar mills of a very primitive nature scattered over the territory.
The total value of the sugar produced annually is about $175,000, rather more than half that sum being required to cover wages and other expenses of crushing.
A fourth of the sugar produced is used for local consumption, the rest being exported to Hong Kong and Canton.
New varieties of cane have been imported by the Botanical and Afforestation Department, which have been planted at certain places in the territory as an experiment.
Pine-apples are cultivated to a considerable extent and two factories, under Chinese management, in which they are canned are established in Hong Kong.
The annual output amounts to about 39 tons, of which a con- siderable quantity is sold locally, the rest being exported to England, America, Russia, and Formosa.
New varieties of pine-apple plants have been imported by the above-mentioned department and have been introduced into the districts where the fruit is cultivated.
Camphor trees are grown to some extent in the New Territory, and experiments are being made with a view to ascertaining the quality of the camphor that can be produced from them.
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