Mainly. the Japanese have always placed great value on argiculture. They had long experience. and their skill. combined with rich American soil. produced the results. The majority of immigrants were from farming families in Japan. and they naturally gravitated to the land. Agriculture became the Japanese Americans largest and most productive industry. and through it. they contributed greatly to the development of the West Coast in the United States. From about 1888 on. agriculture in California changed from grain cultivation to fruit cultivation. The Chinese Exclusion Act created a labor shortage which white workers were reluctant to fill. their trend being toward the industrialized cities. They did not have the background of careful. precise farming methods so necessary for growing fruits and vegetables. The main agricultural product of California were fruits. which required hand labor and dexterity from planting to harvest.
Identified stereotypes
Japanese people always place great value on agriculture.