68 AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY. 



about through the bushes here, two or three meters high, and 

 around tree-trunks, putting forth in June numberless deHcate green- 

 ish yellow blossom clusters from the bases of its leaves. Because 

 of its long cylindrical root, it is also called Naga-imo (long potato, 

 a name which, however, is applied chiefly to the cultivated form). 

 Jinen-j6 is the favourite of all the varieties of Imo. It roots come 

 to market from 25 to 50 cm. long and weighing 150 to 200 grammes. 

 They bring the highest prices. Under these circumstances, it is 

 remarkable that, like all yams in Japan, it is relatively so little 

 grown. This is the case, too, in China, where it is called Ta-shu 

 (big root). The little plantations found here and there are easily 

 recognised by the short sticks about which the tendrils twine. One 

 variety of Naga-imo, namely Dioscorea japonica, var. bulbifera, bears 

 the name Kashiu-imo, and also Tsuku-imo, It has round roots 

 resembling potatoes. 



13. With regard to this second kind (Z>. sativa, L.), Jap. Tokoro 

 or Naga-dokoro, it seems to me that Savatier is mistaken when 

 he says, " Hab. in Japonia saepissime culta ; " for it is grown but 

 sparsely, as far as I could observe it in various parts of the country. 



14. D. qumqiieloba, Thunb. ; Jap., Kikubaba-dokoro, is men- 

 tioned by Savatier as growing wild. I know neither this variety 

 nor its use. In the Kew collection there is some starch made 

 from it. 



The bulbs of lilies (Yuri), many species of which grow on the 

 Hara (forest-glades) and in wooded districts, are also much sought 

 after for food, like the roots of the wild yams, and particularly by 

 the poorer people and the Ainos of Yezo. The three following 

 are, I think, especially worthy of notice in this connection. 



15. Lilinni miratnm, Lindl. ; Jap., Horaiji-yuri, which is found in 

 vast numbers on grassy mountain-sides. 



16. L. TJiimbergianiun, Roem. and Schult. [L. nodosum^ Thunb.), 

 Jap. Hirata-yuri and Natsu-sukushi-yuri. Thunberg expressly 

 mentions its edible bulbs. For their sake, this variety is also much 

 grown, according to L. Boehmer, in the vicinity of Hako-date.^ 



17. Liliuni cordifolium, ThunK ; Jap. Uba-yure and Kawa-yuri. 

 According to Steube, the Ainos make a sort of starch from its 

 bulbs, which is boiled with millet or other grain.^ 



18. Common brake {Pteris aquilina, L.), Jap. Warabi. This 

 plant, perhaps the most widespread in the world, is also found in the 

 Japanese islands throughout their whole extent, from Formosa to 

 Kamtschatka. But it is not so little esteemed there, and so useless 

 to man and beast, as it is with us.^ People begin to gather its 

 young and not yet unrolled tips in April and May, and eat them 



1 " Report to the Kaitakushi," 1875, P- 202. 



2 " Mittheilungen der deutschen Gesellschaft Ostasiens." III. Bd. Yokohama, 

 1880-84, p. 223. 



3 In Shikoku I saw in 1875 whole stretches of mountain forests burned up in 

 order that Warabi might grow better. (See Rein, "Japan," i. p. 81.) 



