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man temple at Kamakura, which is claimed to be over a thousand 

 years old, and of which the trunk has a circumference of twenty feet. 

 The fruit is about the size of a damson, and the nut-like kernels are 

 used as food. This tree is also called Ginkj biloba, the word gin sig- 

 nifying gold in Japanese, The Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) is a 

 fine tree, and furnishes a much valued and beautiful wood. 



Among the many interesting trees observed were several varieties 

 of oak ; fine walnuts, magnolias (the wood of M. hypoleuca being very 

 close-grained and \aluable); maples of various species and very pretty 

 foliage, much prized for the autumn tints, which, however, do not equal 

 those of Canadian maples ; birches, like our white birch, upon the 

 mountains ; and a wonderful variety of other fine trees. 



A remarkable feature of the forests is the great abundance of 

 strong climbing plants, which festoon the trees, and frequently entirely 

 hide them. Of these the Fuji ( Wisteria chiiiensis) is the most striking 

 species and winds its thick coils high around the lofty trunks, or even, 

 when support is absent, about itselt. This fine vine is much admired 

 and forms a fine screen for verandahs and summer-houses, and when 

 the immense clusters of bloom are pendent from it the effect is ve^y 

 fine. Curious trees are Stuarlia and Lagerstroemia, which have red 

 sniooth trunks, and in Japanese are called Sarusuberi (from Saru a 

 monkey and suberu to slide), because the trunks are so slippery. 



Of fruit trees the principal are peach, plum, pear and persimmon. 

 Peaches are by no means equal to American ones ; plums are large 

 and of good appearance, but the flavour is not so good as might there- 

 from be expected. Of pears enormous numbers are grown, and many 

 of these are of large size and very pleasing colour, often a rich golden 

 hue. They are much esteemed by the natives, but foreigners accus- 

 tomed to other varieties find them very insipid, although when one is 

 thirsty their juicy flesh is very refreshing. The persimmon, or kaki, is 

 very largely grown and appears to be the favourite fruit of the Japan- 

 ese. The fruit ripen late in the year, and until perfectly ripe are 

 dreadfully astringent. When ripened fully, however, they are very 

 good, especially those in which the flesh becomes a soft juicy ])ulp that 

 has to be eaten with a spoon. Many of these fruits are dried and 

 l)ressed like figs for winter use. The Japanese oranges are said to be 



