16 JOUKNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of its very charming loveliness when the strong stems rise well above the 

 rounded glossy leaves, bearing a loose panicle of their large rosy bells 

 more beautifully fringed than those of soldanella. Given sound plants, 

 the culture of schizocodon should not be hopeless, in soils and aspects 

 favourable to galax and shortia. Of Schizocodon ilicifolius little seems 

 to be known, and I have never penetrated to the haunts of Shortia 

 uniflora, though I was shown a forest far away on the lower slopes of 

 Fuji-yama, within whose impenetrable fastnesses the plant was to be found 

 in a clearing of the jungle. 



Calanthe japonica. — This terrestrial orchid occurs in three forms in 

 Japan — white, yellow, and pink. It is found among the brushwood on 

 hillsides, but though interesting is hardly beautiful enough to give much 

 satisfaction to English gardeners. 



Taraxacum (?) dens leonis. — Tokio is filled with a weed absolutely 

 indistinguishable from the common dandelion, but producing white 

 instead of yellow flowers. The yellow form, curiously enough, does not 

 occur. 



Pyrus japonica prostrata is a creeping variety of universal occurrence, 

 bearing the usual large flowers of dazzling crimson, but absolutely prostrate 

 in habit. It is a most delightful creeper. 



Iris tectorum.— This plant is usually considered of very doubtful 

 hardiness. But in North- West Yorkshire, in a chilly and damp winter 

 atmosphere, clumps of this species planted in the level open ground, 

 with no protection whatever, have successfully withstood all climatic 

 conditions. I attribute their hardiness to the fact that they were 

 imported from the coldest parts of the ice-bound Tokio plain. The 

 extreme beauty of tectorum needs no recommendation. 



Iris gracilipes has at last been successfully introduced, though its 

 hardiness is regarded with suspicion and its treatment as not yet certain. 

 To my mind this little species is perhaps the most beautiful of all 

 cultivated irises. It is of dwarf and slow growth, forming small clumps, 

 whence sprout the graceful grassy little leaves. Well above them, on 

 very delicate, slight stems, are borne three or four blossoms, recalling those 

 of I. fimbriate/, in shape and colour, but smaller in size, and far more 

 brilliant in the deeper blue of the flower and the rich gold cf the beard. 

 I had heard of the plant and even seen it in cultivation, but its full beauty 

 was only revealed to me one day when I came upon it growing by 

 thousands in a clearing of a copse far up on the coast of Northern Japan. 

 The low tangled underwood had been cleared the year before, as hazel 

 copses are cleared in England. All over the slope of the clearing Iris 

 gracilipes was growing as abundantly as primroses in an English clearing. 

 In the adjacent wood not a plant was to be seen. The slope faced towards 

 the north, and the soil was pure vegetable mould and humus. The plant 

 obviously required abundant light and air, and was ready to confront the 

 full cold of a North Japanese winter. Good drainage and a warm light 

 soil should cause this exquisite little plant to be perfectly hardy and 

 robust. No introduction could possibly be of greater value to our rock- 

 gardens. 



Time would fail me if I were to tell of all the many other species 

 which I came across in the course of my wanderings. But I think I 



