185 



8oo years ago, he abandoned the military for the monastic life. Tl>e 

 most famous, however, of such trees is that at Karasaki on the shore 

 of Lake Biwa, which is of great unknown age, and hence very sacred. 

 The trunk has a circumference of 37 feet and gives off nearly 400 

 branches, the spread of which from east to west is 240 feet and from 

 north to south 288 feet. There are many varieties of cedar, cypress, 

 pine and fir, and the residences of foreigners in Yokahama are much 

 beautified by well trimmed hedges and shrubberies. 



Next to the conifers, the traveller's attention is arrested by the 

 abundance of glossy leaved trees and shrubs, which present in summer 

 a bright vigorous foliage, and which are chiefly evergreens. The 

 camellias grow to considerable size, and blooming late in the year are 

 a feature of the winter scenery. The cinnamons are represented by 

 several species, the most important being C. camphora^ which is widely 

 distributed and of great economic value, as it grows to a large size, 

 and yields wood very valuable for cabinet and box making, in addition 

 to the camphor obtained by distillation. A camphor tree seen near a 

 tjmple on the path from Hakone to Atami was found to have a cir- 

 cumference of of fifty feet. It was centrally split and decayed, but was 

 a majestic tree, and the priests stated its age to be some eight hun- 

 dred years. 



Keyaki {Zelkozva keaki) was another large tree, yielding very valu- 

 able timber in demand for many purposes. At a new temple being 

 built at Kyoto fine sticks of this wood had been seen, about four feet 

 square, and the pillars supporting the roofs were of the same material. 

 When new, the Japanese buildings exhibit very well the different beau- 

 tiful woods used in their construction, but, not being varnished nor 

 painted, all outside work soon becomes dingy from the effects of the 

 weather. 



A very remarkable tree is the Icho, a member of the Taxacese or 

 yew family, the scientific name being Salisbiiria adiantifolia, the 

 specific name derived from the great resemblance of its leaves to those 

 of the maiden-hair fern. It is a large tree of handsome growth and in 

 autumn the leaves turn of a fine golden colour. It has probably been 

 introduced into Japan, as the trees are usually near the temples. Good 

 specimens were seen in Kyoto, etc., but the largest was at the Hachi- 



