backward movement and a downward thrust, planted the slip, firmed the soil about it, leaving a depression in which the mother poured about a pint of water from another gourd dipper. After this water had soaked away, dry earth was drawn about the slip and firmed and looser earth drawn over this, the only tools being the naked hands and dipper.
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Fig. 125.—Getting water to transplant sweet potatoes. A Standard Oil can is balanced against China's ancient stone jar.
The father and mother were dressed in coarse garb but
the daughter was neatly clad, with delicate hands decorated
with rings and a bracelet. Neither of the women had bound
feet. There were ten in his family; and on adjacent similar
areas they had small patches of wheat nearly ready for
the harvest, all planted in hills, hoed, and in astonishingly
vigorous condition considering the extreme drought which
prevailed. The potatoes were being planted under these
extreme conditions in anticipation of the rainy season which
then was fully due. The summer before had been one
of unusual drought, and famine was threatened. The
government had recently issued an edict that no sheep should
be sold from the province, fearing they might be needed
for food. An old woman in one of the villages came out,
