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of acres. Their cultivation has also proved very promising in 

 Central Japan, where, however, they have not been grown so 

 extensively. In the lather dry regions bordering the Inland 

 Sea (Provinces of Bizen, Sanuki and lyo) apple growing has 

 become a profitable industry in late years. But the climatic 

 factors are not so favorable as in the above districts, and some 

 early and mid-season varieties alone are cultivated with suc- 

 cess. Besides, there is a small apple district in Kawasaki, 

 between Tokio and Yokohama, where only the earliest variety 

 (Red Astrachan) is grown to supply the markets of those cities. 



The apples are seldom found in south and south-east 

 Japan. The summer heat of these regions is too high for the 

 proper growth of apples, while the excessive humidity in 

 summer is liable to induce over luxuriance of the vegetative 

 parts and check the fruit bearing in consequence. So, it is 

 necessary to care for the selection of aspects, altitudes and 

 soils in order to raise good apples (most of them belong to the 

 late varieties) in south-east Japan. Otherwise, the trees 

 grow vigorously but remain fruitless for ever. 



It is now a settled opinion that the apples of Hokkaido 

 are handsome in appearance, rather similar to those of such 

 favoured districts as Canada and Pacific States of the United 

 States, whilst they are poorer in flavour, especially in sugary 

 contents. Perhaps the summer is not long enough to bring 

 their ftill ripemng. The produce of Yoichi, a littoral village 

 not far from Sapporo is said to be excellent in quality and 

 appearance, and very large in quantity. Next follows 

 Sapporo. 



In north and north-west Japan, the apples of Awomori 

 and Akita have gained mastery over all the other districts. 

 Next comes those of Iwate and Yamagata. The provinces of 

 Echigo, Kaga and Echizen .standing far behind the others in 

 every respect. It seems to me, as above stated, that the poor 

 quality of the apples of the latter districts is to be ascribed to 

 the hot summer, as is also the case in south Japan. 



