187 



very good, hut were not ripe when Mr. Harrington left. In the south, 

 ern provinces the Pompjlo or Shaddock {Citrus decumana) is abundant, 

 the fruit being very large and the pulp very agreeable. Pomegranates 

 are very handsome in flower and fruit, but the latter does not offer 

 much except the acid pulp around the seeds. 



Although the time of Mr. Harrington's visit was not the period of 

 flowering for many plants, he saw, especially in the mountains, some 

 fine spjcies in bloom. Of these may be especially mentioned the 

 lotus, which grows luxuriantly in the temple ponds, and often in moats 

 or ditches, lifting its large leaves and beautiful flowers high above the 

 water. On the Hakone hills the grand white lily {Lilium auratuin) 

 grows in abundance, and the root bulbs of this and of other fine 

 species are largely gathered for food. Near the foot of Asama had 

 been observed a beautiful yellow lily on a stalk some three feet high, 

 and in the hara (dry plain) below Fuji many examples of fine tiger-lilies 

 occurred. Other smaller lilies, and other closely related forms had 

 frequently been seen, showing how extensively these beautiful plants 

 are distributed. 



A very conspicuous species in the early part of October, from Kobe 

 to Yokohama, was one about i}i to 2^^ feet high, with a fleshy stem 

 and no leaves. Each stem bore several bright cardinal or scarlet blos- 

 soms of a lily-like form, but with the petals narrow and twisted. This 

 l)lant grew in abundance along the irrigation ditches or in any unculti- 

 vated spot, and its bright colour sometimes showed in large vivid 

 patches. Of flowering shrubs Hydrangea paniculata was a good 

 example, as it was seen in large masses along the mountain paths, and 

 showed at once its relationship to the cultivated form, although in 

 nature flowering in the fashion of our Canadian Viburnum lanianoides. 



Of the varied flora perhaps no plant is so attractive in appearance 

 as the giant of the grasses, the bamboo, which is also as useful as it is 

 beautiful. Fine groves were seen, especially in the south, where the 

 stems rise forty or fifty feet, and have a diameter of three to six inches. 

 The uses of these stems are innumerable, and it would be difficult for 

 the people to get along without them. Upon the mountains the under- 

 brush often consisted almost solely of a dwarf species, forming an 

 almost impenetrable scrub. ^-"/♦i"?* V^ 



•Cv — 



4^ iT v?^ 



