yo Annals of Horticulture. 



grained and close and takes a brilliant polish. It is much used 

 for carving and inlaid work. 



^'Magnolia Kobus is a somewhat smaller and more spreading 

 tree than the other, and it blooms earlier. It, too, is a desira- 

 ble ornamental tree. 



"The family Styracaceae furnishes two trees which should 

 also be mentioned here : 



^' Styrax Japonica, S. and Z., Jap., Ye go, Ye go no-ki \ and Sty- 

 rax Obassia, S. and Z., Jap., Haku-unboku. The former is now 

 offered in some catalogues as a new thing. It is a small tree, 

 some twenty feet tall, with rounded head and rather close 

 growth. It is quite common in central Japan. In early sum- 

 mer it produces an abundance of white, pendant, slightly fra- 

 grant flowers, somewhat resembling small cherry flowers, and 

 these are followed by gelatinous berries which emit a strong 

 fragrance when crushed. Styrax Obassia is a larger and more 

 stately tree, and much the handsomer of the two. It is also 

 less common. In growth and leaf it reminds one of the 

 American linden. The flowers appear in June, in large, up- 

 right racemes. They are abundant, quite large, white and 

 fragrant. It is a tree that will meet with favor in American 

 gardens as soon as known.* 



''Albizzia Julibrissin, Boiv. (Jap. Nemu-no-ki'). This legu- 

 minous tree is common in the southern states, but I have also 

 seen it in northern Japan, my attention being particularly at- 

 tracted to a very handsome specimen in the court yard of the 

 government office at Sendai, in full bloom. The foliage is fine, 

 twice pinnate and the flowers pink, long stemmed and feathery. 

 It blooms in the last of July and beginning of August. 



"Another striking tree, which, however, is peculiar to the 

 south, though it can be grown all over the main island, is 

 Sterciilia platanifolia, L. (Jap. Aogiri). It is a rapid grower with 

 few branches, smooth grayish-green bark and very large pal- 

 mately veined leaves, the leaf stalk being often a foot and 

 a-half to two feet long. 



'' Zelkowa Keaki, Sieb. (Jap., Keaki). This tree belongs to 

 the nettle family and in foliage somewhat resembles the elm. 

 It is, however, a much larger tree than the elm. The trunk 

 has a smooth light gray bark and it branches rather irregularly. 

 It is, perhaps, the finest deciduous forest tree in Japan. The 

 wood is hard, white, fine grained and is commonly used for 



*See Annals Hort., 1889, los; also introduction list in this volume. 



