Weaving Company have a branch here, and business is also done in rape seed and linseed oils, manufacture of cotton fishing nets, porcelain, &c.

Agriculture. The following tables will show how very successful the crops in Japan were during the past year.

Rice. The rice crop was again a record one, the figures being:

The crop for 1909 is thus an increase of 0.95 per cent. over that for 1908 and of 15 51 per cent. over an average crop.

Wheat and barley.-The wheat and barley crops were as follows:

The total crop thus shows an increase of 0.41 per cent. over that for 1908 and an increase of 8.73 above an average crop.

Mining. The following returns of mining in Japan in 1909 have just been published.

OUTPUT of Principal Minerals, &c., in Japan during the Years 1908-09. The 1909 Figures are only Estimates.

NAMES of the Principal Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron and Coal Mines with their Output during the Years 1908-09.

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NAMES of the Principal Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron and Coal Mines with their Output during the Years 1908-09-continued.

Merchandise in bonded warehouses at the end of 1909.-The following table shows the value of goods remaining in bonded warehouses at the end of December, in 1907-09 respectively. It will be noted that the total value has decreased very considerably and that the amount of rice and cotton goods particularly has declined :

D

Siberian route for mails.--In spite of constant reminders, letters are still so often sent by the long way, viâ Suez, or remain for days in order to catch the Canadian Mail, that it is worth while pointing out once more to those merchants who do not correspond frequently with Japan, that if they will only mark their letters " viâ Siberia" they can get an answer in six weeks time or even less, while if they trust to the other routes they may have to wait very considerably longer.

In conclusion, I wish to express my thanks to the Yokohama. and Kobe Foreign Board of Trade and to the many friends at both the northern and southern ports who have been good enough to provide me at various times with material which I have used in preparing this report.

Table 1 (A).-TOTAL Imports during the Years 1907-09.