meria japonica, and Thujopsis dolabrata, are probably the kinds generally employed for this purpose. These trees are seldom or ever cut down, and consequently they attain a great size, and form specimens of the greatest beauty.

Altogether, conifers constitute the most useful and the most generally employed trees in Japan. As most of the kinds which have been discovered by travelers have now been introduced to European gardens, and there being every prospect that most of them will prove of sufficient hardiness to withstand the most severe of our winters, it is confidently hoped that, ere long, many of the beautiful species indigenous to this country may be distributed throughout our pleasure-grounds, and flourish as luxuriantly as they do in Japan.

Annexed is a list of the principal conifers, and other plants, which have been described as coming from the Japanese islands:

Botanical Names and General Remarks.

Abies Alcoquiana. A noble tree, discovered in 1860, during Mr. Alcock's trip to Mount Fusiyama, and named in honor of that gentleman. It grows at from 6000 to 7000 feet elevation on Fusiyama, where it attains a height of 90 to 100 feet.

Abies bifida. A variety peculiar from the ends of the leaves being divided into two sharp points. Only seen cultivated in gardens in Yeddo and Kanagawa.

Abies firma. A common tree in the mountainous districts, growing at an elevation of 3000 to 4000 feet. It attains a height of 80 to 100 feet.

Abies Tsuga. Found growing on Mount Fusiyama, at an elevation of 6500 feet. It attains a height of 80 to 100 feet, and is much val、 ued as a timber tree.

Abies jezoensis. A tree growing some 60 feet in height on the island
of Jesso.

Abies leptolepis. Found at an elevation of 8000 to 8500 feet on Mount
Fusiyama. It is remarkable as being the tree which grows at the
greatest elevation on this mountain. Its greatest height is 40 feet;
but, on ascending the mountain, it dwindles down to a bush of 3 feet.
Abies microsperma. A species hitherto found only in the vicinity of
Hakodadi, where it was seen attaining a height of 20 to 30 feet.
Abies polita. A large tree growing on the mountains in the north of
Niphon. Attains a height of 80 to 100 feet.

Abies Veitchii. A species found at an elevation of 6000 to 7000 feet
on Mount Fusiyama, where it grows over 100 feet in height.
Biota orientalis. A bush of 18 to 20 feet. Commonly found near
Yeddo.

Biota pendula. A growing bush found on the Mountains of Hakone.
It is largely planted in gardens for ornamental purposes.
Biota japonica. A low bush, cultivated in gardens.
Cephalotaxus drupacea. A tree growing to a height of 35 to 40 feet,
on the mountains in the south of Japan.

Cephalotaxus pedunculata. A tree growing 20 to 25 feet in height.
Cephalotaxus umbraculifera.

Cryptomeria japonica. The cedar of Japan. Perhaps the common-
est conifer in the empire. It grows exceedingly straight, attaining
a height of 80 to 100 feet. It is found in all parts, from Nagasaki to
Hakodadi. There are numerous varieties of this cultivated in gar-
dens.

Cunninghamia sinensis. A very graceful tree with drooping branches, growing to a height of 20 to 25 feet.

Juniperus japonica. A dwarf shrub, found in most parts of Japan. Juniperus rigida. A handsome tree, attaining a height of 20 to 30 feet, found on the Hakone ridge of mountains, and at Atami. There are several other species of junipers, not yet described by botanists. Nageia cuspidata. A small-growing tree, said to be found in a wild state in the island of Jesso. It is cultivated in the gardens near Yeddo.

Nageia japonica. A tree growing from 30 to 40 feet in height. It is found on the mountains of the interior, and is cultivated in the Yeddo gardens.

Pinus densiflora. One of the commonest pines of the country, the

Botanical Names and General Remarks.

timber of which is in very common use. It attains a height of 40 to 50 feet, and is found throughout the whole empire. Both rosin and ink are prepared from this and the following species. Pinus Mussoniana. A pine very similar to the latter, but attaining a greater size. It is very commonly planted to form avenues, and is the favorite species for dwarfing and training horizontally.

Pinus

A tree largely cultivated in gardens, but not found in a wild state in the localities to which foreigners have had access. Pinus parviflora. A species growing on the Hakone Mountains, and much cultivated in gardens. It grows from 30 to 40 feet in height. There are several other species and varieties of pines as yet undescribed. One of the most remarkable of these is the Shi-ro-y matsu of the Japanese, the foliage of which is variegated.

Podocarpus Maki. A small-growing tree, planted in gardens for ornamental purposes.

Podocarpus japonica. A tree found in Japan by Dr. Siebold, and planted for ornament in gardens.

Podocarpus macrophylla. A tree growing from 20 to 30 feet in height. Retinispora obtusa. This is one of the finest conifers in Japan. It is much valued, both for its timber and for ornamental purposes. The Japanese call it The Tree of the Sun.' It grows commonly on most of the mountain ridges of the island of Niphon, from 50 to 60 feet in height.

Retinispora pisifera. A tree growing from 20 to 30 feet in height. It is very graceful and ornamental, but does not attain a sufficient size to be very valuable as a timber tree.

Retinispora squarrosa. A small-growing tree with glaucous foliage, largely planted for ornament in gardens. There are several species of Retinospora still undescribed.

Sciadopitys verticillata. The umbrella pine. This remarkable tree, which derives its name from having its leaves in whorls at the end of the shoots, is the only species yet discovered. It is a dense pyramidal tree, found abundantly on the Koya Mountains, in the province of Kiudin, and on other mountain ridges. Its greatest height is probably from 70 to 80 feet; and, being clothed with branches to the foot, forms one of the handsomest trees in Japan. This and its numerous varieties, one of which has variegated foliage, are largely planted in the gardens of the Japanese.

Taxus tardiva. A small shrub with dark green foliage, found on the
mountains of Japan and in the gardens of Yeddo.

Taxus cuspidata. A dense-growing shrub with dark green foliage.
It is found at the foot of Mount Fusiyama, on the Hakone Mount-
ains, and on the island of Yesso. It grows from 15 to 20 feet in
height.
Thujopsis dolabrata. One of the most beautiful evergreen trees in
Japan. It is found on the Hakone Mountains, and on other ridges
in the north of Niphon. It is also found near Hakodadi, in Yesso.
It forms a most elegant and graceful tree, from 30 to 40 feet in
height, with dark green drooping branches. It is largely cultivated
by the Japanese in their gardens, and highly prized. There are
several varieties, one of which has beautifully variegated foliage,
and another with foliage smaller and of a light green color.
Torreya nucifera. A tree growing from 25 to 30 feet in height. Its
foliage is of a dark green color, and the nuts are carefully gathered
by the Japanese, the kernels of which are eaten. It is found com-
mon in the midland and southern provinces of Japan.
Veitchia japonica. An entirely new genus, of which this is the only
known species. Nothing is yet known about the habit of this tree.
Fraxinus excelsior. The ash of Japan. A good, useful timber,
coarse grained, heavy, and strong. It is not in very general use in
this district. Employed chiefly for oars, bows and arrows, etc., etc.
Rhus vernicifera. The Japanese varnish-tree. A tree 15 to 20 feet
in height, grown exclusively for the sake of its sap, from which the
celebrated lacker is obtained, and its seed, from which oil and wax
are pressed. The lacker is taken from the tree during the early
spring months. A ring is cut with a sharp knife round the trunk
of the tree, from which the varnish exudes, and is received in ves-
sels placed for the purpose. It is white, and of the consistence of
cream when first coming from the tree, but turns black on exposure
to the air. The seed of this tree, like that of its near ally (Rhus
succedanea), from which the vegetable wax is made, contains a

Japanese Names.

Ka-so

Botanical Names and General Remarks. large quantity of oily substance. From the seed itself oil is press: ed, while the husk produces the substance from which the bulk of the Japanese candles are made. Broussonetia papyrifera. The paper-tree of Japan. This shrub is grown exclusively for its bark, which forms the chief material used for paper-making. The shoots are cut annually in December or January, after the leaves have fallen, having grown some four or five feet in length. They are then immersed in water for several days, after which the bark is taken off. The inner and whiter bark is separated from the outer, and the former selected for making the better qualities of paper. The bark is then beaten into a pulp, and afterward well washed and cleaned. This done, it is allowed to accumulate in a vessel, and is ready for being converted into paper. In making the paper, a portion of the pulp is taken up in a tray with a very low (almost imperceptible) projection round the edge. Sufficient pulp is thus retained to make the paper the desired thickness, and the remainder runs off. The paper being made by hand, these trays are small, which accounts for the Japanese paper being always made in small sheets. It is dried in the sun after this latter process, and becomes fit for use. There are three plants grown in this district for paper-making, viz., Broussonetia papyrifera, Buddlea species, and Hibiscus species. The bark of the two former, and the root of the latter is employed. The Broussonetia is, however, by far the commonest, only comparatively small quantities of the two latter being mixed with it.

NOTES ON JAPANESE PLANTS INTRODUCED TO ENGLAND BY MR. JOHN G. VEITCH, AND NOW IN CULTIVATION IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MESSRS. VEITCH AND SON.

The following additional notes have been supplied me while the work is going through the press; and, as affording the latest information in reference to the plants now in the country, they will doubtless be acceptable to all interested in ornamental gardening.

Many of these plants will unquestionably be most valuable additions to our gardens, their hardiness adding much to their value.

Among deciduous trees, Planera acuminata, the Japanese elm, will occupy a prominent place, not only as an ornamental tree, but from the value of its fine timber, which the Japanese use for their best work. The maples, also, will prove very handsome trees, from their rich autumnal tints. (See page 264.)

Conifers are abundant; and among those at present most admired, perhaps because most known, the graceful Thujopsis dolabrata, numerous elegant species of Retinispora, both green and variegated, the singular and distinct Umbrella Pine, Sciadopitys verticillata, the Abies Alcoquiana, rendered peculiarly interesting by the seeds having been plucked on our pilgrimage to Mount Fusiyama, with other beautiful species of Abies, Picea, Pinus, etc.

Our collections of hardy shrubs are enriched by the addition of many fine things, including the evergreen female Aucuba japonica, producing copious branches of red berries in the autumn. It is from this original species that our well-known variegated Aucuba originates; and now we have several variegated additions.

There are also many fine species of Ligustrum, Euonymus, Elœagnus, etc., both green and variegated, as well as the beautiful Holly-like Osmanthus aquifolius, a charming little shrub, of which there are several varieties. Nor must the various Bamboos be omitted, which, from their very distinct and peculiar habit, are calculated to form most useful objects for ornamental planting, especially near water.

Of Ferns, also, a great number have been received, and are now under cultivation.

Annexed will be found a list of the principal Japanese plants now in cul

cultivation in this country, many of which have been already referred to in previous portions of this Appendix. In addition to these there are many others, the character of which is not yet sufficiently developed to allow of their correct determination:

66 firma. A very fine and distinct species. Photinia (?) ovata. Splendid evergreen shrub. microsperma.

FILICES (Ferns), ETC.

Onychium japonicum.
Polystichum setosum.

The following lists of seeds and plants, sent from the Legation to the Royal Gardens at Kew, may also be interesting:

LIST OF SEEDS SENT TO SIR W. HOOKER IN 1860.

10. Chamærops excelsa.

11. Acer species. Yeddo.

Unknown.

16. Nandina domestica, fructu rubro.

17. Paulovnia species (?).

18. Euonymus species (?).

19. Ilex latifolia.

12. Ilex species (?). Evergreen shrub; 8 to 20. Ilex species. (Smooth leaved.)

10 feet.

13. Rhus vernix.

14. Abies species

21. Nandina domestica, fructu luteo.
22. Lilium species.

CONTENTS OF CASES FOR THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW.

2. Thujopsis dolabrata variegata.

8. A tree (unknown) from which the Japanese are said to make varnish.

9. Azalea species.

10. Osmanthus species.

11.

12. Rubus species, from Mount Fusiyama.
13. Gardenia radicans variegata.
14. Carex species variegata.
15. Thuja species.

CASE NO. 2.

19. An orchid (unknown).

8. A tree (unknown) from which varnish is 20. Creeper with variegated foliage.

18. Melastoma species (?).

Quantities of Seedling Pines, Oaks, Maples, etc., etc., planted in both cases.

F.

TITLES IN JAPAN.

[From the 'Japan Herald.']

The subject of the titles of officers in Japan is to the uninitiated a maze of obscurity. It is a labyrinth in the mazes of which one is immediately lost without a guide, but through which it is easy to steer when the clew has been obtained. Not one of the many Japanese officers (whether their titles be hereditary or not) is so often misnamed, by those even who know his position and his proper titles, as he who holds the position of what foreigners style Temporal Emperor. The titles of officers generally is too large a one to take up at present; but it may not be amiss to discuss, or to throw out a few hints for the discussion of what is the proper title of the Temporal Emperor. In our last number, we, in noticing another subject, expressed an opinion, in a passing way, that there was little or nothing of spirituality in the ideas that the Japanese have of the Mikado beyond what is contained in the doctrine of the divine right of kings. The title of almost any one of the rulers in Christendom contains some expression to denote more or less plainly that the person of his or her majesty is most sacred, and that he rules by the grace of God. That Easterns should call the highest individual in their respective empires by the title of the Son of Heaven, or that these should so style themselves, is not a matter of surprise. But in Japan it is supposed by foreigners that there is something in the official titles of the one and of the other to constitute them coequals in rank, to one of whom is given the execution of the laws, to the other the dispensation of honors only as from a sacred fountain.