B. P. I.— 56. S. P. I I>.— 33. 



JAPANESE BAMBOOS AND THEIR INTRODUCTION 



INTO AMERICA. 



INTRODUCTION. 



This bulletin represents a small part of the work accomplished by 

 Mr. Barbour Lathrop's third expedition in search of valuable seeds 

 and plants, and comprises material gathered during a four months'' 

 stay in Japan. 



Its object is to call the attention of American cultivators to a group 

 of the most beautiful and useful of all plants which has hitherto been 

 neglected by them, either because they believe it adapted only to a 

 tropical climate or to be of only ornamental value, and to point out 

 how far both of these views are fallacious. 



Anyone who has attempted to collect data in an Oriental country 

 will appreciate the difficulties which are encountered in working- 

 through an interpreter, and will understand that some of the state- 

 ments in this bulletin must depend upon the accuracy of the trans- 

 lations. Mr. K. Yendo, of the botanic gardens in Tokyo, was. 

 however, particularly well fitted to interpret on botanical matters, 

 and it is hoped few errors have been made. 



The writer wishes to express his indebtedness and gratitude for 

 assistance to Mr. T. Makino, of the Tokyo Botanic Gardens, who is 

 the Japanese authority on bamboos; Mr. Isuke Tsuboi, of Kusafuka, 

 near Ogaki, who is one of the best amateur cultivators of these 

 plants; and especially to Mr. II. Suzuki, of Yokohama, for most 

 valuable advice and assistance regarding transplanting and shipping. 



The valuable work of Sir Ernest Satow T on "The Cultivation of 

 Bamboos in Japan," in Volume XXVII of the Transactions of the 

 Asiatic Society of Japan (1899), and above all, "The Bamboo Gar- 

 den,'' by Air. Freeman Mitford (1896), which is the most attractive and 

 useful book ever written on this group of plants, have been drawn 

 upon largely, especially in the preparation of the descriptions of the 

 various species. 



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