250 MR. SADAMA ISHIMATSU ON A CHEMICAL 



provinces was protected in the time of feudal government, 

 just as the production of tea and mulberry- tree are pro- 

 tected now by the local government assisted by special 

 officers for this purpose. 



As to the mode of planting, there are two different 

 ways : — In the first case, some time at the end of autumn 

 or beginning of winter the seeds from grown trees are 

 collected and ground in a mortar called " usu" by means 

 of a " rine," which plays the same office as the pestle to 

 the mortar; then they are well stirred and washed in the 

 solution of caustic lye which they obtain, in a way much 

 the same thing as lixiviation, from ash of common wood. 

 They are next put into a rice-straw bag and soaked under 

 water, or, still better, under the urine of horses, until 

 the next spring, when, at or about the 2nd of May, the mass 

 is taken out of the water or urine, and then well spread over 

 the previously well tilled and prepared ground specially for 

 this purpose. Then in time the small plants will germinate. 



That of the second method is conducted by digging the 

 roots of old trees ; several pieces of roots are cut off by 

 means of a knife ; and these are then directly put under 

 ground until the germs come out, and are afterwards trans- 

 ferred to any desired place. The process is much simpler ; 

 but it is said that the trees obtained from this source are 

 much more liable to wither or die out from external causes 

 than the first one ; therefore it is always preferable to adopt 

 the first method where it is in any way practicable. 



After the plants have attained sufficient height, they are 

 usually planted in the hill-sides, corners of farms, plains, on 

 river-banks, or on any other vacant places where the land- 

 tax is light. Urushi-tree or laquor-tree is chiefly cultivated 

 in the provinces Yamato, Dewa, Oshu, Yechigo, Yechizen, 

 Kai, Shiushu, &c. 



In about four to five years the tree grows large enough 



