1892.] ESSAYS. 99 



(Aconitum Fisheri), standing often fully six feet high, with 

 enormous masses of brilliant blue flowers, is another of the 

 Rtmunculacete which must not be forgotten. It is of peculiar 

 interest, both from its beauty and from the fact that the aborigi- 

 nes of Yesso extract a poisonous principle — aconite — from its 

 root, using it to poison the tips of arrows which they employ in 

 setting traps for bears. Two other species of aconite are found 

 in the Yesso forests ; but both are less beautiful and less com- 

 mon than the one of which I have spoken. 



By far the most delicately beautiful of spring flowers in the 

 vicinity of Sapporo is the Corydalis ambigua, with its fragile 

 stems and leaves, and its lovely racemes of flowers, shading into 

 the most exqusite tints and hues of blue and ultramarine and 

 pink, and sometimes becoming almost white. The fragrance, 

 too, of the flowers is wonderfully delicate and sweet. I should 

 think this species and its rarer form with the lobes of the leaves 

 linear might be cultivated quite easily, and if so they would 

 amply repay the care bestowed upon them. The far more 

 sturdy and quite different Oorydalis aurea has also great beauty 

 of its own. Both thrive in moderately light soils. 



The Japanese primrose (Primula Japonica), is everywhere 

 connnon alona: the banks of streams and must not be forirotten. 

 It is, however, I believe, well known to European and American 

 gardeners, and is justly esteemed for its elegant haljit and great 

 beauty of flower. 



I wish next to call your attention to the Yesso spiraeas, of 

 which there are a large number of species, several of which are 

 of unusual beauty. I would mention as especially worthy of 

 attention the species aruncus, callosa and sorbifoUa — widely 

 different each from the other, but any one of which would form 

 beautiful clunq)s in a garden, or add grace and beauty to a 

 bouquet. 



I must not forget here the flower known to the Japanese as 

 Jtayi — a species of Lespedeza, with pinkish flowers — which is 

 celel)rated in Japanese story and song, and is regarded as one of 

 the eight l)eautiful wild flowers of autumn. Two others which 

 are included by the Japanese in the same class stand next in my 

 list, — Palrinia scabiosoe/olia and Platycodon grandijioriun. 



