( 4 •) 



as are candies and sweetmeats, and these conditions remain 

 to the present day, 



For a long period in ancient times there was no com- 

 munication between Japan and foreign countries, and even 

 for a long time after the end of the Tolcugawa era there was no 

 importation of the fine fruit of Europe and America, and 

 consequently the Japanese lack of knowledge of foreign 

 fruits and plants. Had it been otherwise, there is no doubt 

 that the cultivation of foreign fruit in Japan would have made 

 more progress than it has done. Due to the great variety 

 of latitude and altitude previously mentioned, foreign fruits 

 planted in Japan have done fairly well, and annual crops, 

 good both in quantity and quality, have been gathered ; 

 and this notwithstanding the fact that the growers give but 

 scant attention to the trees and rest satisfied so long as the 

 yield is good, neither manuring nor pruning, and the majority 

 ot fruit trees in Japan are treated in this way to the present 

 day. The persimmon is treated in like manner, with the 

 exception that its branches are occacionally thinned out. 

 Orange trees have received some attention in the matter 

 of manuring, as have also chesnut trees, but these are neither 

 pruned nor trained ; but Japanese have been taught by 

 experience that pear-trees and grape-vines will not bear good 

 crops of fruit without pruning and tiaining and consequently 

 they have fallen into these methods as a matter of necessity. 



Many suitable situations, having regard to mountain side 

 and soil, for tlie cultivation of fruit trees are to be found 

 in Japan if sought for, and people generally seem to have 

 relied upon situation and the soil only. Tlie consequence has 

 been that no improvement has taken place in fruit culture ; and 

 this fact, together with extensive seri-culture, which has been 

 for many years a growing industery of farmers and now 

 and for some time past has produced the principal export 

 of Japan, has no doubt largely contributed to and been the 

 means of retarding the progress of fruit culture. 



