Introduction. 



In Japan, arable land is limited in extent, and the 

 population numerous, and owing to the lack of capital the area 

 cultivated by individual farmers is small. The plains, and 

 level ground generally, come first in value, as these are 

 utilised for the cultivation of those cereals which form the 

 principal diet of the Japanese ; and on such land no room 

 is found for other produce, including fruits, and orchards are 

 rarely if ever seen. What fruit trees there are, have been 

 planted in spare ground, around peasant's cottages, on embank- 

 ments, by the roadside, in temple grounds, on steep slopes 

 and on table-lands which are not easily utilised on account 

 of water facilities ; also on the outer edge of the embankments 

 of rivers, which are often subject to destruction by floods. 

 It would appear that hill slopes, notwithstanding the heavy 

 growth of wild vegetation they bear, even on a poor and 

 shallow soil, have not been taken advantage of for the 

 cultivation of fruit trees. These conditions still exist, and 

 have done in Japan from ancient times, v As instances of this, 

 the persimmon may often be seen flourishing in the situations 

 mentioned above ; the pear and peach are found in the dry 

 beds of rivers ; and the orange tree and grape-vine are often 

 planted on the slopes of hills, pine fruit has often been 

 produced under such conditions, without much effort, and 

 where the soil and climate are favourable and the grower has 

 paid some attention to the cultivation of his trees, good results 

 have been obtained. But the cultivation of fruit trees in japan 

 may still be said to be in its infancy when compared with the 



