Hama goteng boonio.--The governor of the Hama goteng, a garden on the seaside beneath the castle in Yedo. This is a large piece of ground cut off by a canal, and formerly kept as a private garden for the recreation of the Shiogoon on the seaside. It is one of the places offered to the foreign ministers for residences in Yedo, and refused by them upon, possibly, good grounds. It has since that time been converted into a ground for artillery practice. There were three head gardeners. There are men to look after the garden for medicinal herbs, and officers who have charge of the curtains used for concealment or privacy. These “macu” have been sometimes thought by foreigners to be intended to represent forts; but they are constantly used in Japan by pleasure parties and others wishing to be in the open air, and yet to enjoy a little privacy; and it is considered rude to look over the edge of one at the party inclosed. They may be used also in war to conceal the numbers of a host. The “mong,” or crest of the owner, is generally stamped upon the curtain, which has at a distance, perhaps, given the idea of loopholes. Kane boonio.--Four officers who pay out and receive payments on account of the Shiogoon. Payments are made on the 6th, 14th and 26th days of the month. Money is received on the 1st, 10th, 18th and 24th. There is an office for the exchange of notes or orders for officers. Banks and Daimios issue paper money, called tayngata, and also gin sats (silver card), kin satz (golden card). They are much used by the merchants in Osaka in business transactions. Koora boonio.--Officers in charge of the rice storehouses belonging to government. These storehouses of rice are very large, as a great part of the pay of officers is given in rice. It is considered degrading to speak of paying money in salary. Even presents of money among the lower classes are always wrapped up in red paper neatly folded. A man is hired as servant for so much rice, known as footchi--_i.e._, rice given on hire; footchi is always given in addition to money, and it is proper to speak of footchi, not of money-hire. In Taikosama’s time one footchi was 10 ngo of rice; now it is only 5 ngo, or about 2 pounds. In speaking of a man’s income, if pioh (or piculs) are mentioned, rice is meant; but if koku, ground to the valued extent of production. Retainers are paid 30 piculs a year, and half a sho (1½ pounds of rice) per diem. In government payments the rice is measured in boxes, not weighed. The Chinese picul is equal to 133 pounds, but the Japanese was generally larger, and ranged from about 150 to 160 pounds. The koku, therefore, would be 450 to 500 pounds. According to Williams, it contains 5.13 bushels.