72 THE BAMBOO GARDEN 
near Nagasaki, was the sole link of communication between 
the Land of the Rising Sun and the outer world. A Bavarian 
by birth, Von Siebold, some sixty years ago, attached himself 
as physician to the Dutch Mission, where, taking advantage 
of his rare opportunities, he laboured assiduously in every 
branch of natural history, to the great enrichment of the 
knowledge of the world. 
As we have seen above (pp. 6, 7), ARUNDINARIA JAPONICA 
flowered and fruited in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, and 
simultaneously all over France and in Algiers in the year 
1867 or 1868. 
Two years ago I received from Japan, through the Yoko- 
hama Gardeners’ Association, several specimens of a Bamboo 
called in Japanese Ya-DAKE, or the Arrow Bamboo. This 
they claimed to be PHYLLOSTACHYS BAMBUSOIDES, with which 
it has no more affinity than it has with a rosebush. The 
native name is due to the straight round culms being used 
for making arrows. It appears to be no more than a form of 
ARUNDINARIA JAPONICA; indeed, in its present young state, 
there is no difference to be detected. If anything, it appears 
to run more freely at the roots. Evidently, however, the 
Japanese gardeners consider YA-DAKE and ME-TAKE to be 
two different plants. It is quite possible that my plants 
were sent out as YA-DAKE by a mistake in the nursery, a 
mistake, however, which was repeated in those received from 
the same source at Kew. 
