look upon Botany as a study both useful and innocent, which 

 pursuant to the very dictates of reason and the laws of Nature, 

 ought to be encouraged by everybody." Still Kaempfer con- 

 fesses that at the very beginning of the journey he took whatever 

 means he could to secure the friendship and assistance of his fel- 

 low-travelers " obliging some with a submissive humble conduct 

 and ready assistance as to physic and physical advice ; others 

 with secret rewards for the very meanest services and favors 

 received from them." 



Had it not been for this adroitness and tact and skill in over- 

 coming the prejudice of the Japanese, it is doubtful if much could 

 have been accomplished. The pioneer botanist in Japan must 

 needs be a diplomatist as well as a botanist. Many of the inter- 

 esting facts thus obtained are embodied in a chapter of his history 

 under the heading " Plants of the Country." This relates more 

 particularly to those of agricultural or economic value while the 



his travels with " descriptions more accurate and botanical." 



He tells us of the kus or " Camphire-tree " and the preparation 

 of "camphire" ; of the urusi or "Varnish-tree which affords a 

 milky juice, which the Japanese make use of to varnish, or as we 

 call it, to japan all their household goods, dishes and plates of 

 wood, and this from the Emperor down to the meanest peasant " ; 

 of the " Tsianoki or Tea-shrub which is allowed no other room 

 but round the borders of Rice and Corn-fields, and in other 

 barren places unfit for the culture of other things ; the common 

 drink of the Japanese is brewed from the larger leaves of this 

 shrub ; but the young and tender leaves dried, powdered and 

 mixed in a cup of hot water into a sort of Soup are drank in 

 houses of people of quality." 



He says that "Japan may vie with most, if not all, known 

 countries for the great variety of beautiful Plants and Flowers 

 wherewith kind Nature hath most liberally and curiously adorned 

 its hills, fields, woods and forests. Some of these the Japanese 

 have transplanted into gardens and improved by assiduity and 

 culture to the utmost, and indeed to a surprising degree of per- 

 fection. . . . There are numberless varieties of Feverfews and 



