New-York tribune., 1895-02-13
THE JAPANESE FOREST.
PROFESSOR sARGENrs NEW BOOK.

THE FOREST FLORA OF JAPAS sDS BY Gharls. sISa.
return. Of Harvard University. Boston and New
York Houghton. Mifiiin & Co. 1894
The fora OF Japan has an especial interest for
Americans, since have been told 80 often OF
the close analogy between the vegetation OF
these islands and that Of the northeastern part
OF the United States. 1t was this similarity
which suggested to DR.. Gray the explanation OF
the way In which plants were distributed through
the northern hemisphere In direct descent from
ancestors which inhabited the Arctic regions
during the last tertiary period. Professor Sar-
gent tells u.s. however. that the opinion which
has prevailed that an American finds much that
is homelike in the natural forest growth OF these
islands is an erroneous one. 1t is true fhat the
trailing arbutus would remind one or New
England and Shortia would recall the mountains
OF North Carolina II these plants were not 80 rare
In Japan Nevertheless. there are enough species
so closely related in the two countries as 70 SUD-
stantiate the general impression that the plants
which thrive in will flourish In the other'
The popular reason assigned for this is tnat ooth
countries face an ocean lying to the east Win
coast lines and deep sea currents OF similar treno
and prevailing winds from the same direction so
that the conditions Of climate which have direct
influence on the life and health OF plants are
similar. The japanese NAPLES. lndens and dog
woods, birches and chestnuts. alders and poplars,
magnolias and buckeyes. pines and hemlocks and
larchos although they diner from our own
species have been developed under conditions
so similar that they will generally thrive here.
In fact it is well known that the trees. shrubs
and plants of Eastern Asia are much more GER
tain to make themselves at home when trans
planted here than nearer neighbors on
bo papi California
will take more kindly to the climate Of Western
Europe than to our own because these two re-
gons stand geographically in the same relation
to the great seas and the currents Of water and
Of wind
But what gives greater popular interest to
the fora of Japan is that so many howering
shrubs and herbs in our gardens are known as
Japanese. although many OF them really origin
ated in China Corea or some other part Of East
ern Asia and only reached this country by way
Of Japan. One of the commonest Towering plants
in our herbaceous borders in early spring is the
snowy dicentra or dieytra, as 1t is popularity
called and this is followed by stately japanese
lilies and irises with the tall and grace
full lespedeza in the autumn and the Jap
anese anemone. one of the lovelest Of
garden flowers. In our strawberries the
early towering bush honeysuckles. half
ries. vipurnums. hydrangeas and Towering pums
and apples. besides the beautiful rosa mutifora
with actinidias matrimony vine, euonymus,
wisteria and many other climbing plants, are
natives of the distant East. Since we already
have so many Japanese plants at home II IS
no wonder that every one who has heard OF this
similarity in the botany OF the two countries
has readily believed the travellers who have IN
sisted that there is striking resemblance be-
tween the general features Of the vegetation
there and here But Professor Sargent points
out many differences in the constitution OF the
natural woods which still standing in Japan
and our own virgin forests while the forest un-
derzrowth is altogether unlike In the two coun-
tries Americans at once will miss the buckle
berries and blueberries the kalmias and cornels
and dwarf cherries and lycopodiums which car
pet our woodlands with such beauty. and he will
find instead among the tres a close and almost
impenetrabIe thicket Of dwarf bamboos. Only a
few vigorous understands can maintain them
selves against these aggressive grasses and the
woods therefore have strange foreign look. All
these points of likeness and dissimilarity are set
forth ir very instructive way and make a
fitting prelude to the descriptions Of the various
families Of trees which then taken up in their
botanical order
It should be said here that this book is pre-
cisely what It's title lnOlCdtes Inc dutHoi u'eS
not seem to have been infected with the
japanese art disease which absolutely un-
fits most visitors to that Empire for any
contemplation of nature and If he con-
siders hurried journey through these
islands an adequate preparation for a treatise on
the moral characteristics of the natives Of the
part which the empire destined to play in the
coming history of the world, he has ex-
ercised uncommon self-restraint and post
poned these for some future work. The
book is concerned solely with the trees
and shrubs Of the japanese forest: 1t was orig
inally prepared for Garden and Forest" jour
nal devoted to kindred subjects. and the reprint
includes the ful!-page illustrations which ap-
peared with the original letters. The subject is
by no means hackneyed, although many OF the
famous botanists Of the world have collected in
these islands for 1t Is only within few years
that travellers have been able to do more than
visit the cities and gardens OF the country With
out exploring any of its wilder interior regions
Besides no traveller in these islands has ever
been so we'll prepared in the botany OF trees and
shrubs as Professor Sargent. who has devoted
himself for years to study in this special
field in the preparation Of hi. work on the SILVA
OF North America" and In collecting material for
the Arnold Ar6oretum which Is to include every
woody plant that will grow in the climate Of
Eastern North America 1t Is this abundant and
familiar knowledge Of his subject and Of the en-
tire range Of related subjects that broadens out
the interest Of Professor Sargents book 80 that 1t
takes hold Of the attention Of any reader who
cares in the least for any arborescent growth
whether in forest in park. whether cultivated
In private grounds or growing at will by the
wayside No popular account Of many Of the trees
here figured and described has ever before been
published. Many Others which have heretofore
been known as herbarium specimens only, have
been identified in the field and figured. and what
is Of more immediate Importance the seeds or
many trees and shrubs entirely new or new to
cultivation have been brought home and planted