THE ECONOMIC PLANTS OF JAPAN. 



211 



confessed that said dishes are not always calculated to 

 give one the' clearest notions of the flavor of individual 

 ingredients, still I became satisfied that it was a palatable 

 vegetable. In taste it approaches salsify. It is well 

 worth a trial in this country. Old roots are rather fib- 



certain places. Saitama and Kanagawa are somewhat 

 noted for its culture. 



LILY-BULBS. 



The bulbs of nearly all the indigenous species of the 

 lily are used for food, and they are cultivated quite 



Nerine Japonica 



rous ; but this defect would soon be remedied in the 

 hands of American growers by good culture and system- 

 atic selection of roots for seed-bearing. Although it is a 

 common vegetable everywhere in Japan, like many others 

 of their economic plants, it receives special attention in 



largely for that purpose. They are also gathered from 

 the plains and mountain slopes. When properly cooked 

 they are tender, starchy, nutritious and quite palatable. 

 A common way of cooking is to boil them in the shoyu 

 and sugar, when the scales are nibbled at in the same 



