REPORT
The aspect of Japan is mountainous. In the portions visited by the squadron, at least three-fourths, perhaps seven-eighths, of the surface may be occupied by mountains or very s eep n a.None of these seem to be cultivated—that is, in grain or food crops—at least, to any ex en , onthe other hand, the intervales or bottoms are in constant cultivation, and produce two cropsannually—one of winter and one of summer grain. The bottoms are naturally level plains,, orare made so artificially. They are very rich, and their fertility is aided by iiri^a ion, ‘for which are afforded by streams from every vale. The more accessible parts of the sideshills, as they recede from the plains, are also graded, often levelled; and, when water cannothe procured, are planted with such grain or vegetables as require no more 11101 s me ran i•applied by rai M alone. lint, whenever irrigation can be secured, there rice is a so pa .
On looking over the western shore of the boy of Yedo , in the months of 1 ebrnary and Maid ,from tlie deck of « ship, one will notice a range of high lulls or bluffs vising rrec y 10Wer's edge, and scarcely interrupted by even small and narrow vales. Beyond these isrolling upland, more or less broken, bounded by . range of not very eleva ed mountat". an««11 beyond these, covered with a glistening canopy of snow vise, in solitarycone of Mount Fusi, to the altitude of some 12,000 feet. This is a most conspicuous andbeautiful object from almost every point, for sixty or eighty miles around
At this early season, the margin of the bay is clothed with verdure; and the camellia japomca,here twenty or thirty feet in height, and the apricot or plum, are robe m °ssom.
The face of the hills, except some gentle slopes, is mostly planted m pme. I he plantations,however, are not nearly equal to some at the Cape of Good Hope , nor such as we may imaginethe highlands of Scotland . They are arranged in ’slips of various widths, running up and•town the hill, as if in possession of different proprietors. The trees are seen m all s ages o!1 ge and growth, arc not preserved in any good order, but are obviously set out in rows, anda l>Pear to be cut systematically for timber or fuel. And here it may he observed, that a verylar 8 e portion of the labor of the country must be employed in these plantations, in cutting anPreparing the lumber and fuel, and in transporting them to supply the wants of the numerous‘hties and towns or villages throughout the land. The necessity for timber is very great as thevast majority of houses are constructed of wood. The people profess to he able to build themof stone, if they wished; hut they prefer wood, as being more secure during the earthquakes,11 8