32 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



which is conveyed to it in Chinese fashion — in two tubs or buckets balanced at either end of a 

 bamboo pole, carried on a man's shoulders. It is applied to each plant by dippers. But upon 

 o-athering the crop, only one or two tubers are found attached to each vine, and they generally 

 not large. By the closeness of planting, and the quickness of growth, two or three crops may 

 be taken in a year. The yield is possibly greater than with us ; but this can scarcely be, from 

 appearances. This is the principal article of support for the people. On two occasions I saw 

 our carriers eating their meals, and on both sweet-potatoes were the bulk of the food, only as- 

 sisted by a few very small fish in one case, and by a little salad, either pickled or prepared with 

 grease, in the other — a frugal meal. 



Sago (cycas revotata). Upon first seeing enclosures, I asked the interpreter what they were 

 for? He replied : " The north country in Lew Chew very uncomfortable ; the poor people have 

 to plant pine-apples," meaning the sago plant; these being protected from wild boars, &c, in 

 the forests. And truly, except in plains, valleys, and rolling uplands, they did seem forced to 

 draw a scanty subsistence, by hand labor, out of an ungrateful soil. 



In some places, where the mountains are free from stones, they are planted even to the very 

 tops, some three hundred feet or more. The sides of some, too, rise at an angle of 75° nearly, 

 if not quite; one of the party even suggested 80°. To prevent washings, or to make allot- 

 ments, or both, narrow strips are cultivated from the bottom upwards, and the plants arranged 

 in short zig-zag lines across these strips, by which means less water is accumulated on each 

 division; and its descent, being retarded, is made gradual and equable. The' ground is only 

 kept bare until the plant obtains a start ; when grass is allowed to grow, which is useful in itself, 

 and an additional impediment to washings. Sago is not only grown in these "uncomfortable" 

 parts, but is planted on many of the ridges and broken lands, and on rocky hills where there 

 is enough soil and enough fertility. It seems to require several years to attain its most profit- 

 able size; and thus large quantities are in the ground at any one time sufficient probably to 

 alleviate, if not prevent, a famine, should hurricanes and droughts conspire in the same year 

 to destroy the hopes of the husbandman. Very much injury is doubtless inflicted, at times, by 

 the former upon cane, millet, &c; and by the latter, rice and wheat, beans and potatoes, may 

 all be greatly reduced. 



Various leguminous plants are very generally cultivated, and form an important item in the 

 laborer's food. There are beans (faba) of several sorts; a species of horse-bean, one grown 

 here and in Japan, and seen in China, having small hairy pods growing in thick clusters ; and 

 the genuine black-eye, cow, or Indian pea, found indigenous in the United States. The garden 

 pea (pisum sativum) is of two varieties, one having a white, and the other a purple flower. 

 They are sown in rows generally, and appear to be productive. The latter is also sown broad- 

 cast, and, with the others, are often grown as secondary crops. No supports or stalks are ever 

 furnished the pea. Ground-nuts (arachis hypogaw) are believed to be raised. An article of 

 food is prepared from beans, very largely, and exposed for sale in all the markets, which so re- 

 sembled cheese as to be mistaken for it. Possibly goat's milk may aid in its manufacture. 



Turnips (brassica rapa), radishes (raphanus sativus), enormously large, and tasting like 

 turnips when cooked; carrots (daucus carota sativa), very small, but long; gourds (lagenaria) 

 of monstrous size, and used as a substitute for pumpkins; egg-plants (solarium esculentum), 

 cymlings (cucurbita verrucosa), onions (allium), and other esculents, with peppers, (capsicum 

 annuum,) fennel (fceniculum vulgare), &c, are cultivated commonly. Cucumbers (cucumis 

 sativus) of immense size are very abundant. 



