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latter, from different sides. Now, allow me to describe the varying features 

 of the mountain as a momentary digression from our lengthy and rather 

 formal discussion. 



When the moimtain is observed from the south-west, the plant regions 

 on its sides are seen to be displayed very clearly by the different elevations 

 of the formations ; the tnmcated cone, clad in pure wliite snow, or some- 

 times Growned with cloucfe ; th9 hazy dark green region of the conifer - forest 

 in the middle ; a little lower the hght red zone of the deciduous forest ; then 

 the hght brown which extends to the base, and merges into mila after mile 

 of prairie - formation. This view is, as it were, coraparable to Engler's system. 

 Now, moving eastwards to the Gotemba - plain, we have a fuU \dew from the 

 south-east, but this is rather Hmited on the south-west by au area bordered 

 by Mt. Ashifcaka. In the spring, when the snow still remains on the peak, 

 the dark green belt of the pine forest stands in clear reHef against the back- 

 ground of the pure white snow. This belt is tliick on the north, but 

 becomes thinner and broader on the south, extending down the flank to 

 the middle of the mountain, and then giving way to the prairie which 

 stretches far and wide to the ferfcile plain of Gotemba. Tliis aspect seems 

 somewhat Hke Bentham-Hookek's system. Now passing on to the north 

 side, let us sketch the view fi'om the top of the Misaka - pass. Here one gets 

 a glorious view of the truncated cone, late in the spring when the snow 

 covers the peak above and the prairie below, but leaves the green of ths 

 pine-forest doubly dark against the pure white snow. The prairie is equally 

 broad and extensive as in the view from the south-east, but is broken by 

 lava - streams which show themselves here and there by the forest upon them. 

 The deciduous tree formation is but faintly represented ou this side. This 

 view is, figuratively speaking, Hke Eichler's system. Now, let us turn our 

 attention to the north-west side. The coniferous formation has here its most 

 hixm-iant growth. The conifers stretch all the way from the middle to the 

 base. The deciduous forest is very poor and the prairie covers but a small 

 area. A bird's - eye view from the top of the Konno - pass shows this parfc 

 clad with evergreen conifers stretching hke a level sea, mile after mile of 

 dark purple, broken only by the mountain - range beyond. This view is, so to 



