SIDELIGHTS ON THINGS JAPANESE. 



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SIDELIGHTS ON THINGS JAPANESE. 



One of the most striking changes in British 

 gardening of late has been the delight with 

 which we have welcomed the flora of Japan 

 and China. In this welcome the art treasures 

 of both countries have shared more and more, 

 although, as a fact, these were highly valued 

 by connoisseurs long before much interest was 



tion in Europe, and their very variable races 

 of Lilies, Maples, Chrysanthemums, Adonis, 

 Anemone (Hepatica) Psilotum, Iris, Hemero- 

 callis, Nandina, were originated centuries ago. 

 All the Japanese arts were originally imported 

 from China, as also were many of the culti- 

 vated plants now so popular in Japan. But the 



ONE OF THE ROSY DOUBLE CHERRIES OF JAPAN. 



taken in Japanese vegetation. The gardening 

 and botanical literature of China and Japan 

 goes back much further than our own, and 

 their modern works are well worthy of special 

 study. No doubt hybridisation and cross- 

 breeding in both countries were effected long 

 ere they found anything like general adop- 



Japanese, like most other isolated people, 5 de- 

 veloped both their art and plant cultivation 

 along distinct lines of their own. When For- 

 tune firstvisited China about 1 843 he took out 

 with him some of our best florists' flowers, and 

 was surprised that they seemed to value no- 

 thing he took with him except scarlet Zonal 



