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the cultural point of view, the plum hardly deserves mention. 

 I^ittle cared for they regularly bear good crops of- excellent 

 quality year after year. Though the Americans have imported 

 many noted varieties from our country and the fruit has under- 

 gone improvements by the breeder, there still remain some native 

 varieties untested by them. The best plums come from the 

 villages of Teradamura and Tominoshio, villages several miles 

 southwest of Kyoto, they are noted by their appearance, very 

 best quality,ferility and earliness. No one can fotget their flavour 

 after one trial as dessert. The plantations cover about 245 

 acres in the village of Terada alone. The total produce of 

 this village amounted to 690 tons last year and sold for ;£'4,000. 

 The plums of Ochiai, a rural district in the province of Kai, 

 have also had a wide reputation for many years. Besides, in 

 far southern they Kagoshima produce beautiful plums. Their 

 beauty, flavour and productiveness are unrivalled by any native 

 plums. Above all others, the late varieties have had a world- 

 wide reputation. There are 68,475 native plum trees in Sakura- 

 jima and produce amounted to 140 tons valuing £1,827 in 

 1904. They are mainly grown on the west coast of the island. 



In these districts, they are planted on dry hill-sides with 

 a gentle slope. The soil is well drained, but rather poor and 

 shallow, and underlaid with stiff subsoil of granite origin. 

 Soils of this kind are very common in the south-west part of 

 Japan. In Sakurajima, the soils are of volcanic origin. The 

 orchards at Ochiai (Province of Kai), are located on gi^avelly 

 loam with well-drained sub-soil. The soil of Terada is a light 

 sandy loam underlaid with heavy clay. 



The early frost comes in Terada about the middle of 

 October and the late frost ends in early April. Although 

 any site may be selected, the best is thought to be the side 

 of a gentle slope with north exposure. In this position not 

 only the injuries from late frosts can be avoided, but the 

 best quality and appearance of the fruits can be secured, 

 since on a sunny exposure the fruit skin tends to become 



