Chap. VII. THE SACRED BAMBOO. 



123 



the country and hawked about the streets. Each 

 of these branches is crowned with a large bunch of 

 red berries, not very unlike those of the common 

 holly, and, when contrasted with the dark, shining 

 leaves, are singularly ornamental. It is used chiefly 

 in the decoration of altars, not only in the temple, 

 but also in private dwellings and in boats — for here 

 every house and boat has its altar — and hence the 

 name of " Sacred Bamboo " which it bears. 



The Nandina is found in English gardens, but, 

 judging from the specimens which I have seen at 

 home, no idea can be formed of its beauty. It does 

 not appear to produce its fruit so freely in England 

 as it does in China, probably owing to the temperature 

 of our summers being lower than those of its native 

 country. But the chrysanthemum is the Chinese 

 gardener's favourite winter flower, although it is gene- 

 rally past its full beauty at the Chinese new year. 

 There is no other plant with which he takes so much 

 pains, or which he cultivates so well. His camellias, 

 azaleas, and roses are well grown and well bloomed, 

 but in all these we excel him in England ; in the 

 cultivation of the chrysanthemum, however, he stands 

 unrivalled. The plants themselves seem, as it were, 

 to meet him half way and grow just as he pleases ; 

 sometimes I found them trained in the form of ani- 

 mals, such as horses and deer, and at other times 

 they were made to resemble the pagodas, so common 

 in the country. Whether they were trained into 

 these fanciful forms, or merely grown as simple 

 bushes, they were always in high health, full of fresh 



