SINGING-BIRDS AND FLOWEKS, ETC. 181 



apes, and carry home quantities of fruit. The wild rasp- 

 berry flourishes in some localities. It differs from both 

 the American and European species, but is not at aU 

 bad in flavour. Strawberries also, in the wild state, I 

 found, but only in one place, and that in the wilds of 

 Yesso. Grapes are grown in some places, but they are 

 miserable things. On the islands in the Inland Sea, I 

 think, they would answer very well. The Japanese do 

 not understand at all how to treat them ; and I have 

 found wUd grapes infinitely better in flavour, and quite 

 as large, as any I have seen that were cultivated. The 

 ginger plant is successfully grown in the southern 

 provinces. The leaf of this grass is strongly scented 

 when crushed in the hand ; the fragrance given out very 

 much resembles the lemon grass, so common in Ceylon. 

 I cannot, I fear, answer for the last part of the proverb 

 so easily or so certainly as that about birds and flowers. 

 What I have said elsewhere about the fair sex of this 

 beautiful country will probably convey the impression 

 that a virtuous young woman, as we use the term, is 

 uncommon. It is rather more than possible that this 

 impression is correct ; but with them continence is not 

 virtue until after marriage,^ and what in most countries 

 is coarse and low, with these people is refined. The 

 gentle, kind nature of the women has a great influence 



' For the sole exception to this, see p. 192. 



