AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES. 



75 



heard a woman, in passing my windows, cry : " Nana iro togarashi !" 

 i.e. literally, "seven sorts of Cayenne pepper." She sold a pul- 

 verized mixture of seven spices, Togarashi being the chief com- 

 ponent. The other ingredients were : 2. Chimpi, dried orange peel, 

 3. Goma, sesame-seed ; 4. Kosho, black pepper ; 5. Sansho, Zan- 

 thoxylum piperitmny D. C. ; 6. Keshi, poppy-seed ; 7. Asa-no- mi, 

 hempseed. 



41. Perilla arguta, Benth. {Ocyimmi crispiim, Thunb.), Jap. Shiso. 

 There is a distinction between Aka-shiso, with purple-red leaves, 

 and Ao-shis6, with green. Shiso is a very general kitchen-plant. 

 Its young leaves are eaten as a vegetable and in soup. By soak- 

 ing the leaves of the red variety in plum-vinegar, their colouring 

 matter is extracted, and the resulting red fluid is used in preserving 

 and colouring lumps of ginger and various other roots and fruits. 



42. Beta vulgaris, L., Jap. Tensei, beet. Not general. 



43. Spinacea inermis, Moench. {S. oleracea /S, L.), Jap. Horenso. 

 Spinach is eaten as a vegetable as with us, though not to so great 

 an extent. 



44. Polygonum orientale, L., Jap. O-tade, the oriental knot- 

 grass. This variety, which probably is traceable to India, and is 

 known over a considerable part of the Old World, was, according 

 to Thunberg, first introduced into Japan by the Portuguese. It is 

 found planted here and there, as with us, though not as an orna- 

 ment, but on account of its leaves. The same purpose is served 

 by P. japonicum, Meissn. {P. barbatum, L.), the Tade or Bontoku- 

 tade. 



45. Rheum palmatum^ L., and Rh. nndulatum, L., Jap. Daio. 

 Rhubarb is grown for medicinal purposes mostly ; but its stalks 

 are now and then utilized in the kitchen, as with us. 



46. Cinnamomum zeylauicum, Breyn., and C. Loureirii, Nees, 

 Nikkei, cinnamon or cassia-trees of Japan. The former is culti- 

 vated only here and there ; the latter more frequently. The rind, 

 of little value, obtained from the latter is exported via Nagaski, 

 to a modest extent. 



47. Cannabis sativa, L., Jap. Asa, hemp. The utilization of its 

 grated seeds as a condiment was mentioned above under Spanish 

 pepper. In regard to the much more important question, as to 

 its bast, particulars are given under textile-plants. 



48. Zingiber officinale, L., Jap. Shoga. Ginger has been culti- 

 vated on account of the " claws " of its rhizomes, for home con- 

 sumption, from time immemorial, and always on small damp bits of 

 ground, near dwelling houses, as in China. One may, however, go 

 through many a village without seeing any of it. Ginger was taken 

 to Kew by Sir Joseph Banks, in 1796. Its rhizomes are usually 

 preserved in reddened plum-vinegar, and make a much relished 

 though not common flavouring with rice, instead of Daikon, The 

 young shoots or roots of ginger often appear as a condiment with a 

 certain dish of fish, called Ni-zakana (boiled fish). 



