THE WARMER TEMPERATE ZONE. 109 



cities iu that part of Japan subsist. There is a noble tree, 

 said to be peculiar to Japan (Stagmaria verniciflwa, Nat. 

 Ord. Anacardiacetz) 3 which the Japanese call the Varnish- 

 tree ( Urusi) ; it is the juice obtained from this tree which 

 is employed to varnish, or, as we call it, to japan, articles 

 of domestic use. These japanned articles are held in such 

 estimation by the Japanese, that, from the Emperor down- 

 wards, they are universally used ; and though this kind of 

 ware is nothing but wood lacquered over with varnish, ser- 

 vices of this material are preferred, even at court, to those 

 of gold and silver. 



Here, as in the East Indies, we everywhere meet with 

 the elegant Bamboo, which, in common with the Mrs, is 

 held in high esteem amongst the Japanese for its constant 

 verdure : this plant is used for decorating the temple-walks 

 and sacred places, chiefly on festivals and other solemn days. 

 The names of three more of our European fruit-trees 

 occur in the Japanese flora; the Cherry, which deserves to 

 be mentioned for its flowers rather than for its fruit, as it is 

 only for its blossoms that it is prized in Japan, which are 

 so improved by culture that they become as large as roses; 

 Apricots and Plums also, which are very plentiful, are often 

 cultivated for the same reason. With regard to most of 



