250 AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY. 



rings, each one separated from the other by a row of dark spots 

 (pores). For further observations see p. Z6. The woods of all the 

 other fruit trees belonging to Rosacese enumerated on pp. 83-87. 

 No. II, are included in this variety. 



97. Amelanchier canadensis, Torn and Gray, Jap. Chide and 

 Zaiburi, furnishes a wood similar to the Sakura, like it reddish in 

 colour but much harder. 



98. Pyrus sambucifolia, Cham., Jap. Nana-Kamedo, and 



99. P. aucuparia, Gaertn., var. Japonica, Maxim., Jap. Yama- 

 nashi, both belonging to the upper boundary of the mountain forests, 

 furnish wood of similar character. 



Fam. Leguminos^. 



100. Sophora japonica, L., Jap. Yenju, is found scattered through 

 the entire country, especially in the foliaceous forests of the north. 

 It grows sometimes to a height of 18 to 20 m. and has a circum- 

 ference of 2 m., for example, in Osaka where it is an ornamental 

 tree, overshadowing an open space before a temple. It has long 

 been cultivated in Europe also, and grows to a fine stature, resem- 

 bling specimens of our Robinia. The wood is light, and varies in 

 colour from light brown to a dark sepia. Its coarseness of grain 

 and porosity make it less even and delicate, but it is very tough 

 and durable. The year-rings show distinctly in the cross section, 

 divided into light zones with very large pores, alternating with others 

 darker, closer, and less porous. 



loi. Gleditschia japojiica, Miq.,Jap. Saikachi, a sightly tree found 

 principally in Northern Japan. It grows wild along the rivers and 

 in the hollows of the lower mountain forests, and is cultivated in 

 the neighbourhood of the villages.^ Its long brown pods were 

 formerly used throughout the entire north of Hondo, for soap. 

 They are found still in many of the shops of Morioka, done up 

 in small packages. The wood of Saikachi resembles that of the 

 Yenju. 



102. Albizzia Jidibrissin, Boiv. {Mimosa arborea, Thunb.), Jap. 

 Nemu and Nemu-no-ki. The following description of this plant 

 may be found on p. 139 of the first volume of this work. " In the 

 island of Amakusa and the neighbouring Kiushiu, most of the 

 deciduous trees were already covered with foliage in the second 

 half of April, 1875 ; Rhus siiccedanea, L. and Castanea vulgaris, 

 Lamk. had partly developed their young leaves, and only Albizzia 

 Jidibrissin, Boiv. {Mimosa arborea, Thunb.) still displayed their 

 winter aspect unaltered, and even a month later, in the middle of 

 May, we found this little tree in the mountain forests of Shikoku, 

 at a height of some 800 meters, quite leafless, so that its Japanese 



^ I found it specially frequent in Nambu (Iwate-ken) and counted one day on 

 the road from Kamaishi to Morioka nearly 100 trees near the village of Yoko- 

 machi. 



