Chap. VII. 
NURSERY-GARDENS. 
107 
At first the proprietors were not quite sure 
whether they ought to sell me the plants which I 
selected. A reference was invariably made to the 
yakoneens, both upon this point and also as to 
what sum they should ask. I am afraid I must 
confess to the impression that these gentry made 
me pay considerably more than the fair value or 
“market price.” As I concluded each purchase 
the plants purchased, the price, and the name of 
the vendor, were carefully written down by one ol 
the officials, and this report of my proceedings was 
taken home to their superiors. 
The day was far spent before I had finished the 
inspection of these interesting gardens, but I was 
greatly pleased with the results. A great number 
of new shrubs and trees, many of them probably 
well suited for our English climate, had been 
purchased. Orders were now given to the dif- 
ferent nurserymen to bring the p ants to the 
English Legation on the following day, and we 
parted mutually pleased with our bargains It 
was now too late to go to Ogee or Su-mae-yah, so 
that journey was put off until another day. 
Mounting our horses, we left the pleasant and 
romantic lanes of Dang-o-zaka and rode home- 
wards. In coming out we had passed to the south 
of the Tycoon’s palace, but in going home a 
different route was taken-a route "Inch M » 
along the north side of these buddings. In all 
my "excursions about Yedo with a guani of 
yakoneens, I have invariably observed that they 
