VARIOUS NATIONAL SOCIETIES. 137 



living, methods of cooking, etc. The appetites differ more or less in the indi- 

 viduals of the same family, so it is with people of different nations. The cli- 

 mate, social condition, etc., may have much to do with this He enumerated 

 the vegetables grown in Japan, arranging them in groups. 



First, those grown from the root. Radishes are much used. They can be 

 grown the year round, and are of many varieties. Carrots are smaller and 

 longer than in this country. Burdocks come third in estimation; the root in 

 some districts grows a foot in circumference, and three feet in length. Among 

 turnips there is a small, fine variety, of a white color, used as radishes are in 

 this country; some are of a bright red color. Taros (colocassia) of the arum 

 family, are very extensively grown and used as potatoes are in this country. 

 Allocassia, or collodium, is grown in shady places, as in orchards; the annual 

 production is six or seven millions of bushels. They taste like potatoes, but 

 are more mealy ; the roughness of the skin is an objection. A kind of taro 

 (Leucocassia gigantea) is grown for the stalk, which is used as a salad. Kon- 

 jak is grown in shady, moist ground. Common and sweet potatoes are grown. 

 Varieties of the Japanese yam are used. Digging the roots is hard, tedious 

 work. A variety of lily is grown in corners of fields where the plowshare will 

 not touch them. We get the bulbs two or three inches in diameter in three or 

 four years. Our onions have not large, globular bulbs ; they are grown just 

 like celery in this country, and have long, white, tender stalks. 



Among those grown as seeds and fruits, there are so many peas and beans 

 that they cannot be plainly described. The most important crop among our 

 pulse is Soybean ; the annual product is about the same as that of wheat — 

 eleven and a half millions of bushels. The Tofu is used largely by those living 

 remote from the sea who cannot get fish ; it is cooked and used as a substitute 

 for fish. The bean is very rich in albuminoids, containing about thirty-seven 

 per cent, of albumen ; Yona beans contain only about twenty-five per cent. 

 So far, our people are the most extensive consumers of pulse of any people in 

 the world. 



Egg plants are grown. Our squashes are small, but solid and very sweet. 

 A small, rich, golden musk melon is very rich. Cucumbers are grown only for 

 use in early spring:. Balsam apples are grown, bitter to the ta^te. 



For leaves and flowers we have no varieties of cabbages. A kind of chrys- 

 anthemum is cultivated for its leaves and stalks. Aralia cor data is grown as 

 asparagus. Two kinds of ferns are used ; six or seven kinds are commonly 

 known as edible. Among aquatic plants the most common vegetable is Afri- 

 can lily. The roots are over four feet long, mealy and wholesome. A variety 

 of Arrow head is grown in marshy land ; it is rather bitter. Several other 

 weeds were enumerated as edible. 



Another group comprises those used for flavoring, or relishes, as horse-rad- 

 ish, water-cress, etc. Wasabi is the best representative for fragrant, sweet, bit- 

 ter, acrid taste. Fragrant basil is another relish. 



The President appointed the following committees on the awards of the hor- 

 ticultural exhibition: 



Apples — Messrs. H. E. Van Deman, of Kansas; W. N. Cook, of Michigan; 

 J. V. Lindley, of North Carolina. 



Grapes — Messrs. G. W. Campbell, of Ohio; T. S. Hubbard, of New York, 

 and T. Greiner, of N-w Jersey. 



Pears, Peaches and Plums — Messrs. N. Ohmer, of Ohio ; P. C. Reynolds, of 

 New York, and A. R. McKay, of Mississippi. 



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