regrettably been left in rather a neglected state. The 
remarkable growth of street traffic in recent years, and 
the almost constant changes of natural features in the 
country have done, and still are doing, no small harm 
to the trees, and not a few noted cherry trees, some of 
which have survived many centuries, have unfortunately 
died. 
Deploring such a state of affairs, and awakened to 
the necessity of considering proper measures for the 
protection of the nation’s noted cherry trees, as well as 
of diffusing among the. Japanese people the idea of 
loving the national flower of the country and the refined 
taste of the sakura cult, a group of prominent men, 
including the late Marquis R. Tokugawa, the late Vis- 
count E. Shibusawa, Baron Y. Sakatani, Mr. Aisaku 
Hayashi, Mr. K. Inoshita and others, organized in 1918 
a society named “ Sakura-no-Kai’’ (Cherry Society) in 
Tckyo. This society they formed with a view to 
arousing public interest in the protection of sakura trees, 
and to encourage the replanting of noted species. of 
cherry. It also aims at making widely known to all 
people those public places noted for the beauty of their 
cherry blossoms and rare specimens of sakura trees, 
which are now known but locally, or little known to the 
public at large. 
As its official organ the Society issues an annual 
named “ Sakura”, which this year has already reached 
its sixteenth number. 
The Society holds its annual general meeting during 
the cherry season in Tokyo every year. Many rare 
‘specimens of cherry blossoms and pictures of sakura, 
66~ 
