Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-12-09
THE GAZETTE.
thursday MORNING, DECEMBER @, 1855
FRUIT IN JAPAN.
l.. 5. CONSULATE GENERAL At sIMoDA,
,Jul\ q lSJS

l.. 5. CONSULATE GENERAL AT sIMnDs,
July 3, 1858.
Sir: The statements in the World in Min.
iature," concerning the japan radish, are
uuch exsggeraed. Itis true that rsdishes
arc grown IN every part OF Japan, but nc.
where are they principal article Of food
They are merely an adjunct to the rice, wheat
and barley, which are the great staples of the
country.
| ordered the best specimens of the long
radsh to be brought to me when l first WISH
ted Yeddo. The longest we're les than thir-
ty inches in length, aud about one inch IN
diameter. This rsdish, when dried, loses
more than three-ourtbs Of its bulk and looks
very like whip thopg. With the long
radisb, specimens Of another kind were
brought TO me. These were shaped like our
parsDip, the largest measuring eighteen To-
ches long and fifteen inches in circumference
and weighed four pounds five ounces aVor-
dupois. All the rsdishes of japan, when
used as a salad, are inferior to the garden
rad.sh of the West. When boiled they are
uoite inspid, having nothing OF the flavor OF
the white turnip or ruta baga
| shall embrace tie first opportunity OF
sending you seeds OF both OF the toreg Jung
varieties, bot have great doubt about their
reaching you in good condition. as l cannot
get the metal cases in which TO seal them her
mericaliy; nor can Wardisn cases be pro.
cured here, as there is not pane OF glass IN
the whole empire.
Nery little attention is paid to the cultiVa.
ton OF fruit in this country. Cherry ana
plum trees produce magnificent blossoms
bot they bear very little fruit, and that little
is worthless. The peaches are tar ioierior to
tho o IF China; aud the same remark Will ap-
plv TO the apricot.
| have seen only one variety of pear
They are in shape and color, quite ike
Russo; apple: tut they are uuft TO eat raw,
and, wnen CO. k I'd, are quite ineipi1. The
best sraves of Japan resemble the Cataw bs
in aupearance but are Inferior TO that variety.
Tne Only rruit that l have seen 10 Japan
that particularly merits notice, Is the kaki,
variety Of diospyros and belonging u
the oruer ebenanCe. 1t Is really worthy OF
beiUy introduced into the United States
Quite plumber of sorts have been brought.
One description has skin AS thin as It's
sue paper, and the pulp resembles SIN ha9or
the Egyptian fig. Another variety has thlcK
rind aud frmer pulp than the sort hrst
named. while the taste strongly reminds me
of the flavor OF the delicious msngoes OF Sam
and Is ,rnbay. The tree is highly ornamen-
tai. and OF rapid growth. 1t would no doubt
succeed in any part of the United States
soutt, of 81 degrees Of latitude. Unlike the
persimmou of the United States, there is very
little as ringency in the skin OF the fruit and
frost which natures the peruimmon, greatly
iLjures the kski.
Tbs fruit varies in size, but is always
larger than it's American relative, and SOME
are seven inches 10 diameter. The fruits III
season nearly three months. %be japanese
dry this fruit, which enables them to keep II
for some four months. When dried, 1t resem'
bles the dried Smyrna 6g in taste.
send YOU few seeds of the kaki, under
this cover, thinking that they may possioly
permlhate after they reach Washington, and
Knowing that they will only cause trltiius
addition to the postage of my letter
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
TOWNSEND HARRIS, Consul General.
To the Commissioner Of the Patent Office.