FRUITS AND FLOWERS OF NORTHERN JAPAN. 51 



for the universal taste for them among the people. If you will 

 believe me even educated Japanese persisted that they liked our 

 pears best while they were yet of flint}' hardness, — before, to my 

 taste, the flavor was at all developed. You will not longer wonder 

 that the apple was generally preferred to such fruit ; but for the 

 sake of the reputation of our pears you will be glad to know that 

 the Japanese are slowly learning better when to eat them. 



An indigenous plum — probably Prumis tomentosa — is of some 

 value. The fruit is small and purple, and hardly suited for eat- 

 ing, but it makes excellent preserves. The stones are collected in 

 large quantities and the j'oung trees used for budding with Ameri- 

 can sorts, which do well in Yesso. 



The wild mulberry — Morus alba, I think, but of the species 

 I do not feel entirely sure, — is nearly everywhere abundant in 

 Yesso. The leaf is much collected and used for feeding silk, 

 worms ; and this species, which is perfectly hardy (while the 

 Chinese variety is not) , is extensivel}' propagated and planted for 

 the same purpose. The fruit is rather small, black, and ver}' 

 delicious in flavor ; but it is not much used by the natives. 



In some parts of Yesso there is found a wild currant (Ribes 

 Japonica) the fruit of which I have never seen. It is said to be 

 red ; but is not used so far as I know. The racemes of flowers 

 which I have seen are of remarkable length ; in the dried speci- 

 mens which I have here, the longest is full}' seven inches in length. 

 Should it be found possible to cross this species with our own, it 

 would seem not unlikely that considerable improvement in this 

 direction might be the result. In Yesso, unfortunately, a very 

 large proportion of the fruit of this currant always blasted while 

 very small. I have successfully imported this species and now 

 have it alive in Amherst. 



Although not fruits in the ordinary sense of the word, I want 

 to allude to the Yesso hop and asparagus (Humulus Japonicus 

 and Asparagus officinalis), both exceedingly abundant in many 

 places ; and both, I should think, promising, as a result of varia- 

 tion which usually follows the cultivation of wild species, to 

 produce varieties of value. In connection with asparagus should 

 be mentioned also the Japanese Udo {Aralia cordata), the 

 spring shoots of which are used as we use those of that plant. 

 This is also everywhere common in the rich woods of Yesso ; it is 

 also cultivated to some extent and is said to be really delicious. 



