254 Ornamental Shrubs. 



a series of private festivals which ministers of state, and 

 the mighty in the land who glory in the possession of 

 cherry groves, give to their friends. Even his Imperial 

 Majesty, the Mikado, called by his subjects O'Tenshi, 

 the Son of Heaven, is affected by the general impulse the 

 blossoms impart, and issues a mandate to the effect that 

 on a certain day, if it does not rain, he and the Empress 

 will give a cherry-blossom festival in one of the imperial 

 parks. Large, handsome cards inviting the guests are 

 issued several days beforehand. The guests comprise 

 all high officials of the government down to a certain rank, 

 the corps diplomatique, foreign employees of the govern- 

 ment at the capital who receive a salary of three hundred 

 yen or more per month, high officers of the army and 

 navy, and representative officers of foreign war vessels 

 which happen to be in the Yokohama harbor. The writer 

 had the honor of attending three of these parties, and can 

 therefore speak from personal observation." 



Of these Japanese forms the following are described 

 as most interesting : Prunus pseudo-cerastes in its native 

 country is said to form a large tree which grows wild in 

 the forests of northern Japan and on the mountains of the 

 south. It is described as somewhat resembling our sweet 

 cherry trees in growth and appearance, but differs from 

 them largely in its flowers and fruit. The wood is hard 

 and fine-grained, and in general use for carvings and cab- 

 inet making. It has been a favorite ornamental tree with 

 the Japanese from time immemorial, and through its long- 

 continued cultivation a great number of flowering varieties 

 have originated. Some of these newer forms are upright 



