46 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTXJBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



r JriDuary in, IKC. 



nins the risV , in older to srciirc some tcmptinp; prize displnying 

 its beauties on some inaccessible branch, of injuring the tree, or 

 worse, possibly himself. 



After cros-sina; the river, we soon arrive at the famed Tea garden 

 at Omura, celebrated for its Tluni trees, so attractive when in 

 flower. At the sea.son we went up, they presented nothing more 

 than Plum tree.", usually do. 



The pains taken to bring every available space into cultivation 

 for Rice, proves its value as the chief support of the people. 

 Here and there in the fields spots of land arc seen Avhich, having 

 been orisinally a little higher than the surrounding surface, and 

 unsuited for llice, have been levelled oil', and are cultivated with 

 regetables. Tlieso dry spots arc usually skirted with I'ines, 

 which apparently have heen planted to prevent the soil from being 

 washed away by heavy rains. 



The country roads around Ycdo are exceedingly pleasant, and 

 generally suilieiently wide for two or three persons to ride abreast, 

 and frequently for long distames coiupletely over.shadowed by 

 trees. Numerous pat<h(8 of Bamboo are met with in every 

 direction, and must bo a source of considerable wealth to the 

 country. -It enters largely into the economic uses of the people, 

 and for the purpose of hoops for pails and tubs of all sorts it 

 takes the place of iron, hickory, and oak, used for the same 

 purposes with us. The young and tender shoots in the spring 

 are also in demand as an article of food. 



To supply the wants of so large a city, the cultivation of vege- 

 tables is extensively carried on. The varieties, at the season of 

 my vist, consisted chiefly of Heans, Oin'ons, Egg-plants, Tomatoes, 

 Can'ots, Squashes, and Cucumbers. The manner of prcparin.^: 

 them for market is exceedingly neat ; everything being eutTied 

 in baskets, they are brought in the best possible condition. The 

 manner of cultivating the Cucumber \y«3 to mo somewhat novel, 

 and it appeared in some respects superior to our mode. Instead 

 of sowing the seed in hiihs, it is sown in double rows, as Teas 

 arc frequently done, only at a greater distance apart, both between 

 the rows and the plant.>=, say 3 feet between the iint. The vines 

 are supported by placing brushwood along each row, forming an 

 arch, over which they may grow. Tlic adv-antages this method 

 presents are, that the fruit is always clean and straight, of a 

 uniform colour on all dies, and can be gathered without incur- 

 ring the danger ol injuiy to the vines by trampling on them. 



The leaves of Amaranthus melancholicus are eaten as a A-ege- 

 table, being boiled as a Spinach. A species of Sagittaria also 

 appears to be used for the same purpose, as I observed, in one 

 or two instances, small plantations of it in the corners of Rico ' 

 fields. The large fleshy roots of the Nelumbium ai'e a staple 

 article of food in the winter season. 



One of the most attractive rides in Ycdo, in which you see the 

 chief business part of the city, is to the temple of Asaeksa. In 

 going there, the roads around the Tycoon's and Daimio's resi- 

 dences arc usually chosen, by which means you are enabled to 

 have a good view of the moat and embankment that surround 

 them. The space in which these residences are built, is an eleva- 

 tion of land considerably higher, in most parts, than the land 

 immediately surrounding. The moat, which varies in width 

 from 50 to 150 feet, has been dug at the haseof this elevation, and 

 is level with the strtets on one side, but presents a high and 

 steep bank on the other. In some places it is filled with Nelura- 

 bitmis and other aquatic plants, making, when in flower, a 

 splendid show. The bank on the other side of the moat is covered 

 with gi-ass, nicely kept in order, with occasionally a few trees 

 planted. The top is surmounted witli a row of trees, mostly 

 Pines, some of which have their branches extended do\vn wards, 

 relie\-ing in a great degree the fonnality which such works 

 usually present. 



SuiTounding the temple at Asaeksa are extensive grounds, in 

 which are included various shows, and places for practising 

 archerj-. The most interesting part to mo was that portion 

 occupied by a florist's establi^'hment. llere j-ou find everything 

 kept in the neatest order. Tlie plants are arranged on elevated 

 stages, shaded with rolls of fine bamboo laced together, forming 

 open mats, which can be rolled up when desired. They are 

 much superior to a framework of lath, sometimes used by tis for 

 sheltering plants from the sim. T"hc principal stock of plants 

 consists of those most suited to .Tapanese ta.-(tes — viz., dwarfed 

 Pines and Eetinosporas, Sago Palms, variegated Podocarpus, 

 Aucubas, SelagincUas, &c., many of wliieh are sold at what we 

 would consider very high prices. I was surprised to find grow- 

 ing here throe distinct varieties of Verbenas, which I was not 

 aw.are had heen introduced ; also Jasminum grandillorum, and a 

 species of Franeiscea. With these exceptions, together with a 

 dwarf variety of Sago Palm, there was nothing of especial interest 



that I had not seen offered for sale in Yokohama. The grounds 

 contained several species of trees unknown to me, which 1 would 

 have purchased if I could have obtained small specimens. A 

 pond full of scarlet Nelumbiums, the flowers standing on tall 

 footstalks above the foliage, like immense Tuli])S, had a very fine 

 cflLit. The Japanese garilcners cultivate a number of varieties of 

 them having double flowers, and with various markings and 

 shades of colour, some of which I hope to be fortunate enough to 

 send home alive. The scarlet Clurodendrcn seemed to he a 

 favourite, and large plants of it, crown in ornamental porcelain 

 pots, made a tine show. The .Tapmcse do not entertain our 

 objections to growing plants in glazed pots ; all their tine speci- 

 mens are grown in them, and I certainly have not been able to 

 see that they do not thrive equally as well as in any other kind. 



One day was devoted to a visit to the gariien.s at Dangozaka 

 and Someia, two villages adjoining each other on the outskirts 

 of the city. We took an early start. Two friends and the usual 

 escort of mounted officials constituted our train ; and although wc 

 considered the latter more ornamental than useful, the Govern- 

 ment, under real or assumed regard for our safety, insisted on 

 their attc-idance. 



One side of the road which unites the two villages is bounded 

 almost entirely with small nursery grounds. Those at Someia 

 nre larger than those at Dangozaka ; but at none of those visited 

 did I see a finer collection of plants than at Asaeksa. After 

 visiting five or six the guard became rather impatient, as I ex- 

 pected they would, at my frequent stoppages, and inquired what 

 I wanted. I explained to them that I h.id a garden at home, 

 and wanted to see, for the purpose of purchasing what new plants 

 I could find. As is often the ease, they, not being interested, 

 could not a])iircciate my motives ; and as it was already past noon, 

 and very warm, with a long ride before us, I agreed to return if 

 they would conduct us home as far as possible by some country 

 road, instead of through the city. To this they assented, and 

 conducted us back through a series of charming wooded roads 

 and lanes lined with hedges on either side, and through the city 

 within the second moat of the castle, whereby we had a more ct- 

 tendcd view of that part of Yedo. 



None of the gardens visited, or those seen on my ride, were 

 very extensive, the largest containing but an acre or two of land ; 

 yet I am satisfied that there tire Larger establishments somewhere 

 in tho neighbourhood, where trees are the principal objects of 

 culture. I am impressed with this opinion from the quantities 

 brought to Yokohama for ornamenting the gardens of foreign 

 residents, and for sending away. 



Another ride we took was to a celebrated tea-house on the 

 other side of the river from Asaeksa. This part of the city is 

 intersected by numerous canals of great value /or the easy trans- 

 portation of heavy goods in a country where wheeled vehicles 

 arc of the rudest description. Above the city, almost as far as 

 the eye can see, is one continued Rice field, which in former 

 years was an immense marsh, redeemed from the overflow of the 

 river by a wide dyke. The top, in most places planted with 

 trees, constitutes the road along which you ride. The amoimt of 

 labour employed to bring into cultivation the almost innumer- 

 able Rice fields all over the eountiy is not to be estimated ; but 

 they are monmnents of the toil of tho people, and if neglected but 

 for a few years, would become covered with a rank and noxious 

 vegetation. Near the Tea garden we visited the residence of a 

 retired merchant, who had the reputation of possessing a beauti- 

 ful garden. In this I was disappointcfl, it being only of a larger 

 size than ordinary, but presenting no remarkable features, either 

 in style or its contents. <1ur disappointment in this respect was 

 compensated by the kind ho.-pit.ality of the aged proprietor and 

 his family, who entertained us with tea and fruit, and did every- 

 thing that Japanese eom-tesy demanded to render our visit agree- 

 able; 



One of the horticultural attractions of Yedo is the large AVis- 

 taria spoken of in Fortune's "Visit to .Japan." I'nfortunately, 

 it was too late to see it in flow< r, but, judging from the still re- 

 maining flower-stems, it must present a rare object of beauty 

 when in blossom. It is trained on a flat trellis overspreading an 

 area of more than 400 square feet. 



In our rides about the city, we frequently met Tvith horses 

 laden with cut flowers, in which an extensive trade is carried on. 

 The varieties are such as are most abundant at the particular 

 8ea.son of the year, and just then consisted of ChiTsanthemums, 

 Wablenbergia sinensis ("'), a species of Veronica, and a few others. 



In the rear of the legation residence in a small wood, in which 

 arc a number of large trees of Torreya nueifera. It is a very 

 handsome species, growing to a height of 50 feet. If it prove 

 hardy, it will be a valuable addition to our list of evergreens. 



