272 AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY. 



through the long winter, when their dead withered leaves offend the 

 sight. 



In August and September, the flowering season of the lotus is 

 followed by that of the so-called " Seven Autumn-plants " (Aki- 

 nona-na-kusa). These are Hagi (varieties of Lespedeza and Des- 

 modium), Fuyo {Hibiscus mutabilis, L.), Omina-meshi {Patrinia 

 scahioscBfolia, Link.), Fuji-bakama {Eupatoritmi chinense, L., and E. 

 japoniaim, Thunb.), Kikiyo {Platycodon grandiflorum, D. C), the two 

 grasses Susuki {Eidaliajaponica, Trim.) and ¥^2.x2.-Vci.y'd.{Anthistiria 

 arguens, Wild.). All, except the Hibiscus, adorn the flower-meadows, 

 or Kusa-wara, in midsummer and autumn. Hagi, particularly 

 Lespedeza cyrtobotrya and Desmodizim penduliflorum, Oud., with their 

 leaves resembling Citysus, and their violet blossoms, also Fuyo, 

 Ominameshi and Susuki are very popular as decorative designs in 

 art-industry. The Tamano-o {Sedum Sieboldi^ Sweet) blossoms as 

 a pot plant in Japan, as with us, in September and October. 



While the blooming Mume beautifies the New Year's spring 

 festival, the first of the five great feasts of the year, the Kiku-no- 

 hana, or chrysanthemum flower, is dedicated to the last of these 

 secular festivals, which occurs on the 9th day of the 9th month 

 old reckoning, or toward the end of October, in the new. This 

 Kiku-no-sekku, or Chrysanthemum festival, draws the joyous, happy 

 crowds to the flower- markets and into the large gardens which 

 are celebrated for the cultivation of Chrysanthe7mtm (Pyrethrum) 

 indicum, L., Ch. sinense^ Sabin, and kindred species. Kil<u (Chrys- 

 anthemum) rich in variety and colour, the favourite of all the 

 autumn Flora of Japan and China, is hardy and easy to cultivate. 

 The flowers of the different varieties are eis numerous and mani- 

 fold in colour, size and form, as are asters with us, and are of 

 very ancient cultivation. Many gardeners make a specialty of 

 them and become widely known thereby. The Kiku beds of 

 Sugamo on the Nakasendo, for instance, attract many admirers 

 in the early part of November. Kiku-no-hana is as much liked 

 in art as in nature, and has no rival as a pattern in the decoration 

 of pottery. 



The arms of the kingdom, called Kiku-no-hana-mon (see vol. i.) 

 consist of an outspread, wheel-like chrysanthemum of 16 petals 

 radiating from a small central circle, and at the outer edge are 

 bound together by 16 little arches. It is an emblem of the sun 

 and is the imperial insignia on cockades, banners, documents and 

 coins. In 1784 a number of varieties of the Kiku were brought to 

 Europe from India and China, but they have not yet driven the 

 asters and other popular autumn flowers from the field. 



Toward the end of October and beginning of November, when 

 the rough monsoon of winter blows from the north and the land- 

 scape has taken on quite another character in the field and wood, 

 the Japanese lover of nature makes his last holiday excursion, to 

 see the Momiji {Acer polyinorphum, S. and Z.). The maples most 



