XXXV 



more fundamental differences between 

 these two and Unitarian ism, so that their 

 judgment is in a state of suspense. Quite 

 recently there has been a movement to- 

 wards a modified form of Christianity, 

 perhaps, on the grounds that this, from 

 a scientific point of view, is the most 

 evolved form o5 creed with which the 

 world is acquainted. How ^^ingular if the 

 unbiassed a.nd philosophic-minded Japan- 

 ese should turn his attention to theolog- 

 ical disquis'ition ! Without reference to 

 my notes. I think that there are about 

 and about 100 professors or lecturers. 

 These are housed in the best-equipped 

 class-rooms, laboratoirieis, and specialised 

 museums it has been my lot to see, and 

 the best work is turned out. Many of the 

 professors, to wit. in seismology and bac- 

 teriology, are world leaders in their 

 science and in other departments their 

 names and labours are perfectly 

 well known to scientific men. The 

 average yearly fee paid by stu- 

 dents is — and here again I am a lit- 

 tle forgetful— about ,£10. and provision is 

 made in suitable cases for a free course. 

 The industr'ies of pisciculture, sericulture, 

 fruitgrowing, and forestry are all heire 

 scientifically taught, and when competent 

 such students are sent to various parts 

 of the Empire, deriving their own liveli- 

 hood and diffusing their knowledge 

 amongst the workers. The forestry depart- 

 ment is a veiry large and important one. 

 yearly increasing its labours, and I had 

 the pleasure of spending an afternoon 

 with some of its officials. It 'is housed in 

 a huge building in Tokio, three miles 

 from the University, and devoted to the 

 purposes oS. an industrial museum. Here 

 are exhigited specimens of every kind of 

 work in which the Japanese engage — pot- 

 tery, lea.ther, cloth, iron, and wood work, 

 evea^y kind of fine art, and so on. An ad- 

 vantage is that prices are usually attach- 

 ed, so that visitors and purchasers can se- 

 lect, order, and pay ior for whatever they 

 desire. The department gives its order 

 to the tradesman, and is itself the guar- 

 antee of excellent work. The forestry ig 

 represnted by specimens of every wood, to 

 which is attached the fullest description 

 of its botanical character, suitability, 

 strain, cultivation, and other particulais. 

 Further afield great work is done in plant- 

 ing trees, and great caire taken in cutting 

 down and replacing them. The vegetable 

 murder, Oif which we are so constantly 

 guilty, in burning off whole acres of fo- 

 rest, is forbidden, and if discovered se- 

 verely punished. Such should be the case 

 here, despite the sophism that it is good 

 for the country, and opens the way for 

 agriculture. As in Japan and in Ger- 

 many, such work as the removal of forest 

 timber should be entrusted to the forest 

 ranger, and beyond him should be forbid- 



den under penalty. Many of the Japanese 

 forest trees are of great value, and 

 should. I think, from the similarity of 

 the climate, do well hare. The Crypto- 

 meria. one of the pines, may be f«;pecially 

 mentioned. It is of immense size, hand- 

 some appearance, valuable and lasting ag 

 a house and bridge timber. The Lamas 

 camphoira is another very valuable tree, 

 and I know that thoxe are many others, 

 but am unable at this moment to name 

 them. The large bamboos — Bambusa — are 

 used in Japan for most numerous pur- 

 poses, and are as useful to them as is the 

 NeAv Zealand flax with us. This is reck- 

 oned a tropical or sub-tropical plant, but 

 I have constantly seen it in the most 

 flourishing condition under circumstances 

 o5' raw. damp, and cold. Of course, it is 

 one of the functions of a forestr.y depairt. 

 ment to collect and diffuse all the infor- 

 mation it can regarding the growth and 

 suitability of plants for various purposes, 

 and it is this function that the Japanese 

 officers are so competent and anxious to 

 discharge. I promised them to do my 

 best to^Dring about intercommunication 

 wherever I went, and one that would re- 

 dound to the mutual advantage of the 

 parties. It would also have the further 

 effect— no small one — of proimoting 

 friendship between this, one of England's 

 colonies and themselves. Already they 

 view the English with trust and Hking 

 for their knowledge, virtues, and jus- 

 tice, and here is a slight opportunity of 

 extending this feeling, and of effacing 

 recent utterances. I feel sure this learned 

 society will, in accord with its traditions, 

 give every aid to so impotrtaht and scien- 

 tific a matter, and I shall formally ad- 

 dress the Agr^icultui'al Society here to the 

 same effect. 



He concluded by paying a high tribute 

 to the excellent arrangements and man- 

 agement of the Tasmanian Museum and 

 Art Gallery. 



Mr. Eodway said he particularly appre- 

 ciated Dr, Hocken's remarks on the fo- 

 restry of Japan. Some of them had been 

 trying for a long time to get a forestry 

 department established in Tasmania, and 

 they might get one before long. Any in- 

 formation such as that imparted b.y Dr. 

 Hocken was therefore valuable to them, 

 and the outcome of it might be that they 

 would get valuable seeds firom Japan. 



At the request of Mr. Morton, Dr. 

 Hocken agreed to forward from New Zea- 

 land particulars regarding the new for- 

 estry department in that colony, and the 

 employment of prison labouir in connec- 

 tion therewith.^ Mr. Morton explained 

 that the reason he asked that question 

 was that they had hopes of getting a for- 

 estry department in that colony, and the 

 would help them very considerably if they 

 could get prison labour to do the work. 



