Nc, 133J 835 



Farmers^ Cluby January 18, 1853. 



Present: — Dr. Antisell, Professor Mapes, Re7. Mr. Sewell, 

 €iptain Holme?, Captain Barnard, Messrs. Piks, Gore, and Mundy, 

 of Jersey ; Judge Livingston, Judge Van Wyck, Geu. Chandler, 

 George Dickey, and otherSj upwards of tbirtymembers. 



Judge Robert Swift Livingston, in the Chair. Henry Meigs, 

 Secretary. 



JAPAN OR JAPON. 



Kcempfer, about 150 years ago, gave accurate information of it 

 in all it3 principal concerns, especially the vegetation and cul- 

 ture of the country. 



It consists of a great number of Islands, reachi::g in longitude 

 from 130'' to 147'* east, and in latitude from 30° north to 41<^. 

 The natives call it Niphon, which is the title of the largest of the 

 islands. The Chinese call it Chiphon, on account, as is said, of its 

 eastern position, both Niphon and Chiphon meaning the basis or 

 foundation of the sun — the place whence the sun comes. The 

 sea winds make the climate pleasant. Snow falls deep, rains 

 violent in June or July, and the thunder storms are heavy and 

 damaging. They have wheat, and the whitest rice in the world, 

 otLer grain, two kinds of beans, p*'as, millet, Indian wheat, a great 

 variety of fruits, cabbages, tumips, equal to European, no apple, 

 but pears of the very largest size, orange, fig, banana, cocoa nut, 

 jack, ginger, black pepper, susar, cotton, and indigo, are cultivat- 

 ed in large quantities. Tea shrub grows wild ; Indian laurel and 

 camphor, muynet, aromatic acore, squine root, cerete, moxa, 

 flnakewood, murgo rout, the opium poppy, salap, cypress, larch 

 and weeping willow trees, common yew ; quadrupeds. Few hogs. 

 No sheep or goats. Horses and black cattle few in number. The 

 only animals used in farming, &.c., are buffaloes and small cows. 

 They eat bears, but a' hor the fox. Dogs make up the want of 

 other animals; they are plenty, sacred, and maintained at the 

 expense of tho town. The only game are pheasants and 

 partridges. 



Assembly No. 133] 25 , 



