HORTUS VEITCHII 



At Yokohama he visited the nurseries of which Fortune 

 had written in such glowing terms, but, disappointed with 

 what he saw, yet found several plants rare in cultivation. 



From Yokohama and Tokio Maries proceeded overland to 

 Nikko, the great shrine of Japan, and thence to Awomori, 

 the northernmost port of the main island. Whilst waiting 

 at Awomori for a steamer to convey him to Hakodate, 

 Maries noticed a Conifer new to him growing in a garden, 

 and learnt that it could be found in quantity on a neigh- 

 bouring mountain. He went in search, and had reached 

 a height of 3,500 ft., when it became obvious that the 

 bamboo scrub formed an impassable barrier on that side of 

 the mountain, and he reluctantly had to turn back, although 

 the object of his search could plainly be seen. The following 

 day he again made the ascent, but this time from the north 

 side, and he succeeded in procuring cones of a new species, 

 since named by Dr. Masters, Abies Mariesii. 



On the same .trip, what was at first thought to be a 

 variety of Abies Veitchii, but which eventually proved to 

 be A. sachalinensis, Mast., was re-discovered. It had 

 previously been met with by one Friedrich Schmidt, a 

 German botanical traveller, in the island of Saghalien in 

 1866, but not introduced. 



Leaving Awomori, Maries arrived in Hakodate, in Yezo, the 

 northern island, on June 20th, and was much struck 

 with the beauty of Azalea Rollisoni (Rhododendron indicum 

 balsaminseflorum) found growing in masses of Kaempfer's 

 Iris on the banks of streams. He was able to procure seed 

 which he sent to Chelsea. From this district he also sent 

 Styrax X obassia, common on the volcanic slopes of that island, 

 the racemes of pure white flowers and very large light-green 

 leaves objects of great beauty. 



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