378 Japan. 



tive crateors, subject to frequent disastrous earthquakes 

 and tidal waves; mountainous, with numerous ranges of 

 high hills and with lofty central ridges, with numerous 

 short rivers, apt to turn into treacherous torrents, while 

 hurricanes and waterspouts, typhoons and equinoctial 

 gales sweep the surrounding seas frequently. 



The soil is nowhere particularly fertile, but the patient 

 and painstaking labor of the Japanese has brought every 

 available foot of it — ^little more than. 10% is arable — 

 into producing condition, wherever the climate com- 

 pensates for the infertility, especially in the most 

 densely populated part, the southern half of Hondo. 



Extending through 30 degrees of latitude, the climate 

 naturally varies from the tropical one of Formosa, 

 through all variations of the temperate, to the alpine 

 one of the high mountains and the nearly arctic one of 

 the Kurile islands. The Japan current skirting the 

 eastern coast, and the mountain ranges, with elevations 

 generally not exceeding 6,000 feet, occasionally up to 

 over 13,000 feet, which cut off the dry continental west 

 winds, also produce great climatic variations between 

 east and west coasts. In general, however, the climate 

 of the whole empire is characterized by a high percent- 

 age of relative humidity and ample rainfall, especially 

 during the hot season, producing luxuriant growth. 



1. Forest Conditions. 



Due to these great variations in climate, the forest 

 flora of Japan almost rivals in variety that of the 

 United States, with over 300 deciduous, and more than 

 30 coniferous species of size (besides a large number of 

 half-trees), although not more than some 50 or 60 are 



