2IO 



THE ECONOMIC PLANTS OF JAPAN. 



until a few days ago, when it was sawed down close to 

 ground. The stump measured about 15 inches across, 

 and the circles showed the tree to have been about 20 

 years old. This tree was apparently still in full life, the 

 wood being green and full of sap except the outer sur- 

 face, which seemed dry, hard and dead, although the 

 inner portion of this last or outside circle contained sap, 

 and was evidently engaged in performing its organic 

 functions. 



But now comes the deviation from all other recent 

 cases that have fallen under my notice. There was no 

 perceptible difference in the enlargement of the trunk of 

 these elms, either above, below or in the girdled space. 

 The growth of the stems was normal, and equal at all 

 points, so far as I could see. This is indeed remarkable, 

 and goes to show that when the flow of sap between the 

 wood and bark was arrested by the girdling, the entire 

 circulation was merely diverted to the inner cellular 

 structure or woody portion of the tree. 



Such are the facts as I found them. I regret that at 

 least one of these trees was not left standing to demon- 

 strate the wonderful recuperative powers of nature still 

 further ; and yet the girdled trees were objects most un- 

 natural and incongruous, such as I would rather not see 

 continually in front of my own dwelling. 



In this case there was no resinous property of the wood 

 to resist the closing of the pores of the alburnum or sap- 

 wood as in the case of the pine trees ; the young wood on 

 the three-foot girdled space was practically dead on the 

 surface and for an eighth of an inch in, if indeed it could 

 be called young or new wood at all. How, then, can we 

 escape the conclusion that the sap of these trees passed 

 up through the main body of the stem ? Surely with all 

 our boasted knowledge of plant-life, and the apparently 

 simple processes by which it is maintained, we are yet 

 confronted with many unsolved problems ; and among 

 them sap-movement and cambium formation are con- 

 spicuous. H. Hendricks. 



THE ECONOMIC PLANTS OF JAPAN"^— XIII. 



ROOTS AND TUBERS USED FOR FOOD CONTINUED. 



F THE MANY species of irises in- From an intrusive pest has been developed a useful veg- 

 digenous to Japan, several are etable. The long, slender tap-root has been enlarged, 

 used as a source of starch, which rendered fleshy and tender, and in a general way it par- 

 is extracted from the fleshy root- takes of the qualities of the parsnip, and is even more 

 stalks. This utilitarian end is generally used than parsnips are with us. It is one of 

 not their principal function, how- the standard articles which can be found at the green- 

 ever, as the Japanese are passion- grocers' nearly the year round. It is a perennial, but is 

 ate admirers of their flowers ; grown as an annual. The seed is sown in rows two feet 

 and in many places throughout the country, especially apart, and the plants thinned to about six inches. Ordi- 

 about Tokio, there are large plantations of these beauti- nary specimens of root are about two feet long and an 

 ful flowers. Among the varieties are Iris Icsvigata (I. inch thick at the top, but occasionally much larger ones 

 versicolor) and Kcempferi (I. Icei'igata, Regal). The are seen. It prefers a rich sandy loam, and market-gar- 

 Ksempferi, especially, is cultivated for its flowers. The deners hold that soil manured with decayed pine-leaves 

 sorts originated from it are numbered by the hundred, imparts the best flavor to the root. Highly nitrogenous 

 and in point of colors run through innumerable shades manures cause the roots to grow hollow. There are a 

 from pure white through purple to deepest blue. There number of varieties, with white, gray and almost black 

 are but few garden scenes more pleasing than a Japanese roots ; some are early, others late. The early varieties 

 iris-pond in June. Other species grown for root-stalk are sown in May and dug in the fall ; the late ones are 

 and flower are the following : Iris tectoriim, tomiololilia, are sown in August and dug the next June. 

 Chinensis, fimbriata, Siberica var. orientalis, S. var. a comparison of the composition of this root with the 

 hamatopiylla, ensaia var. Chinensis, Pallasii var. composition of some of our garden favorites shows that 

 Chineyisis, oxypetala, setosa, and Japotiica. the ffobo has less water and much more of the nutritive 



Helianthus tuberosus, L., Jap., Kikii-imo. (Jeru- element than is found in turnips, parsnips or carrots : 

 salem Artichoke.) iTzAw is the name of the chrysanthe- Gobo. Turnips. Parsnips. Carrots. 



mum, and the plant is so-called from the composite Water 73.80 92.8 8i.o 89.0 



character of the flower, while imo is the common name -^^^ ■ ^-"S o-8 i-o i-o 



for tuber. The plant is gent^rally known in Japan, and Carbohydrates '(starch, ^'^^ 



is occasionally cultivated. I have not been able to ascer- fats, etc 21.53 5.9 15.8 9.5 



tain whether it is indigenous or not. 



° 100.00 100.0 99.0 lOO.O 



Lappa MAJOR, Jap., Gobo. (Common Burdock.) This , . , 



, , , , , , ... r J , A root that contams 3.62 per cent, of albuminoids to 



is a much humbler plant, but one which as a food-plant r 1 , j ■ • , 



„ , . . , . . ^ ^ . , 21.53 per cent, of carbohydrates IS rich enough to sustain 



outranks all the species of the ins. It furnishes a strik- , . , . ■ 



. . , , ... . , life ; and not a single one 01 our common vegetables is 



me illustration of the mutability of common weeds. , . . . . ... _ , 



equal to it m nutritive qualities. I have eaten it on 



*Copyright by the Auiiior. many occasious in Japanese dishes, and while it must be 



