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X UTILIZATION OF CHERRY TREES

The true merit of the Japanese cherry, lies in the superexcellence of its floral beauty. The tree is therefore valued as a decorative plant. Still, the plant is not without merit for practical purposes. It gives very fine wood, and is widely used for making a variety of things, such as furniture and other useful objects. The beautiful bark of the tree is also used for decorative purposes, and as a veneer for coating furniture and things made of different materials. Again, its flowers, pickled in salt, and then soaked in a cupful of hot water, make an excellent beverage which serves as a substitute for tea. The leaves, when preserved in salt, emit a cumarin-like fragrance, and as such are used for covering sakura-mochi, a kind of cake much enjoyed by Japanese.

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