INTRODUCTION 



ings are given in this country. On these 

 occasions all schools are represented. In my 

 last visit to Japan I found that each school 

 had developed a new school, known as Mon- 

 tana, a modern departure from true Japanese 

 principles and an attempt to follow European 

 and American styles, which is anything but 

 pleasing. Any Japanese now taking flower 

 lessons learns with the Japanese methods the 

 foreign style, the result being more careless 

 and less beautiful effects in his Japanese ar- 

 rangements and nothing worth while in 

 foreign style. This, of course, is due to the 

 progress of Western civilization, as the people 

 of Japan are at present adjusting their lives, 

 manners, and customs to those of Western 

 peoples. Yet the fact remains now, as 

 centuries ago, that no other nation so. 

 genuinely loves flowers^. 



What I saw only a few months ago in 

 Kyoto proved this to be true. 



Walking one morning, I met a Japanese 

 pulling a cart heavily laden. I saw him look 

 intently at a sluggish stream by the roadside. 

 On a most unattractive pile of refuse was 



