The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1920-12-10
AND JAPAN ENTERED A
LEAGUE OF FLOWERS

the part he played in the presenta-
ton to this country by Japan of the
famous cherry trees planted in Poto-
mac Park, Washington, d. c., which
led to the gift of the American dog
woods now growing in Tokyo.
Although scattered here and there
in America there are few kinds of
Japanese Towering cherry trees, il
was not until 1906, when David Fair
child imported a large collection of
them and planted them among the
pines and cedars of hi place an the
Woods" in Maryland, that it was evil
dent how admirably even the most
delicate would grow and blossom here
in America. They were so success
ful and so charming that in 1907 he
brought in two shipments, one of
which he gave to the schools of
Washington, d. c., and trees of the
other were planted along Connecticut
Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
In communication to the Nation
al Geographic Society, Mr.. Fairchild
recounts the history of this exchange
of flowers as follows.
Scottish heather and Irish Sham
rock are no more closely intertwned
with the national life of the Scotch
and Irish than is the cherry blossom
with the life of the Japanese. 1t is
more than a matter of passing inter-
est therefore that a'Japanese gentle.
man who has spent large part of his
life in America should have made il
possible for the mayor of his native
city to give to the country of his adj
option thousands of the trees which
represent the spirit of his people.
"And now with the first warm winds
of spring, the pink and white bios.
SONS of thousands Of Towering cherry
trees stand out against the marble
whiteness of the monuments to Wash
ington and Lincoln in the Speedway
Park of Washington. For miles
along the speedway these trees are
scattered, growing each year more
beautiful and attracting more anc
more visitors. What satisfaction il
must be to DR.. Jokichi Takamine tt
realize that throughout America
there is a growing love and appreci
alton of this national flower of ia
pan and know that he has played Sc
large part in bringing this about
Was it in his mind that they nigh
help the people of this country to un
derstand how deeply there lies in thu
Japanese character love for the
beautiful? No one walking beneath
these lovely Towering trees can fai
to be impressed when he knows thai
they appeal so strongly to whole
people, that each spring all business
stops and even the legislature adj
journs in order that every one may
have leisure to enjoy them.
"rhe idea of field of cherries or
the Speedway originated one after
noon during visit to the cherry tree.
at In the Woods by Miss f. r. Scid
more, distinguished writer and in
terpreter of the Japanese, and it i.
through arrangements made by hel
with Mrs. Taft. who was then in thu
White House, the Mayor of Tokyo
and Dr. Takamine, that three mile.
Of the Speedway are planted will
Towering cherry trees"
"The first shipment was in affiliated
one, for the 1000 large trees whicl
composed it were found to be so bad
~ infested with injurious insect.
which were new to America that the,
could not be disinfected and had to bt
burned. The incident was an embar
RAISING one. But refusing to misin
terpret the motive of the destruction
of the trees, the then Mayor of Tokyo
and his council and DR.. Takamine, ad
vising with the scientific plant mel
of their country, decided to repeat tn
shipment, sending plants so free from
insects and diseases as to elicit tn,
admiration of American plant experts
This shipment arrived in the spring
of 1912 and with simple ceremonies
in which Mrs. Taft, the Japanes,
Minister, and few others took part
the first tree was planted on tn,
Speedway.
"Three years later Mr.. Kuwashima
a friend of Count Okuma's, who wa
spending the winter in Washington
was shown for the first time by Mr.
Swingle and me photographs of thu
American dogwood. and it was thel
arranged that shipment of tn,
American dogwoodS should be made t,
Ianan and trees of it be planted il
Tokyo and little dogwood trees be dis
tributed in the schools. Hundreds o
plants and several pounds of seed
were sent him. and the Mayor of To
kyo. who sent the cherries to Ameri
ca, had the dogwood trees plante,
with great care in the city parl
there. Thousands of Seeding Ameri
can dogwoods were later sent out t,
the schools Of Japan.
"PhotoPraphS showing how vel
TIE cherry trees are growing in Wash
ngton and the dogwoods in Toky
have already been EXCHANGED. Eacl
snrinp as the school children o
America admire the cherry blossom
trees from Japan. the school children
Of Japan will look in wonder at tn
STRANGE but beautiful dorwoodS from
America. No doubt thew will SUP
nose that to Ar1eriran children tn
do"wood means quite as much a
their own cherry trees mean TO them
Let us hone that this will encourap
the children Of Iapar IN even treat
or interest in their lovelv cherr'
trees and stimulate the children o
America to plant onr beautiful dog
woods IN their doorvards. Thi
would helm our children TO under
otand ond respect the children o
! Japan"