EXPANSION AND EXTENSION IN HAKKA SOCIETY
47
The last procedure is likely to have prevailed formerly. In addition, some ducks are found in each village, but they are kept entirely for local consumption.
It is reasonable to assume that pig rearing and fowl keeping were important, although not vital, in filling the widening gap between production and consumption demands in this valley. However, villagers had always had access to another natural resource. I have mentioned earlier that the steep hill sides, now covered with shrubs, were once densely forested. These woodlands were exploited by the people through extensive firewood cutting.
The importance of this activity is reflected in the fact that defined areas of interest were recognized by people in the three settlements in this connection. Alleged intrusion seems to have given rise to long-drawn disputes as to accepted rights. At the side of the path leading from Big Stream Village to Plum Grove Village, at a fairly equal distance from both, a small stone has been erected. There is an inscription stating: 'Ng Area-Mountain Border.' Ng is the kin name of all the Plum Grove people. It is said that this border stone was erected sometime around 1900 in order to establish more clearly-defined village regions for firewood cutting. This arrangement should have reduced the amounts of incidents and quarrels considerably. Similar stones seem to have been set up over the whole of this mountain area, thus providing borders of economic interest. The firewood used to be carried to Kowloon and sold there.
It is interesting to note that these definite borders, indicating an increasing interest in the exploitation of the woodlands, were marked off at a time when decline in the tea and indigo production affected the economic situation. The woods also supplied raw material for a kind of small-scale industry in the valley; charcoal burning. The remains of ovens can still be traced. It is difficult to estimate the extent of this trade, but it is very likely that charcoal burning together with firewood cutting were the most important activities that supplemented the limited agricultural production. People often characterize elderly persons like: 'He has been a farmer and wood-cutter all his life.'
Professional wood-cutting is not practised nowadays; nor is charcoal burning. The latter industry was revived during the
EXPANSION AND EXTENSION IN HAKKA SOCIETY
47
The last procedure is likely to have prevailed formerly. In addi- tion, some ducks are found in each village, but they are kept entirely for local consumption.
It is reasonable to assume that pig rearing and fowl keeping were important, although not vital, in filling the widening gap between production and consumption demands in this valley. However, villagers had always had access to another natural resource. I have mentioned earlier that the steep hill sides, now covered with shrubs, were once densely forested. These woodlands were exploited by the people through extensive fire- wood cutting.
The importance of this activity is reflected in the fact that defined areas of interest were recognized by people in the three settlements in this connection. Alleged intrusion seem to have given rise to long-drawn disputes as to accepted rights. At the side of the path leading from Big Stream Village to Plum Grove Village, at a fairly equal distance from both, a small stone has been erected. There is an inscription stating: 'Ng Area-Moun- tain Border.' Ng is the kin name of all the Plum Grove people. It is said that this border stone was erected sometime around 1900 in order to establish more clearly-defined village regions for fire-wood cutting. This arrangement should have reduced the amounts of incidents and quarrels considerably. Similar stones seem to have been set up over the whole of this mountain area, thus providing borders of economic interest. The fire-wood used to be carried to Kowloon and sold there.
It is interesting to note that these definite borders, indicating an increasing interest in the exploitation of the woodlands, were marked off at a time when decline in the tea and indigo produc- tion affected the economic situation. The woods also supplied raw material for a kind of small-scale industry in the valley; charcoal burning. The remains of ovens can still be traced. It is difficult to estimate the extent of this trade, but it is very likely that charcoal burning together with fire-wood cutting were the most important activities that supplemented the limited agricul tural production. People often characterize elderly persons like: 'He has been a farmer and wood-cutter all his life.”
Professional wood-cutting is not practised nowadays; nor is charcoal burning. The latter industry was revived during the
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