GIFT FROM JAPAN

Press, Issue 32333, 26 June 1970, Page 7

GIFT FROM JAPAN

Camellias For ■ Wellington |! (N.Z. Press Association! i WELLINGTON, June 25. ' The Metropolitan Govern- > ment of Tokyo has presented i six species of camellia to the Wellington City Corporation [ for its botanical gardens. I .This is part of a sapling j exchange programme between Tokyo and overseas cities to ; promote friendship and cor- | dial relatioift. j In 1951. the Tokyo Government received saplings and seeds from other countries in commemoration of the signing of the San Francisco peace treaty.

These plants are now growing in the Woods of Peace in the botanical gardens of the Metropolitan Government of Tokyo. The exchange has now become an annual programme. So far Tokyo has sent saplings to 49 cities and states of 20 countries, including the gift of saplings to Wellington.

Wellington is the first city ;in the Pacific to take part in the exchange. I One hundred and fifty pieces of camellia plants arrived in Wellington by air from Tokyo on March 28 and were placed in the requisite quarentine. They have thrived. Six strains of camellia included in the consignment were japonica, sasanqua, beniotome, akinoyama, daika- [ gura and shipborotome. In return the City of Weli lington has presented to ’Tokyo a grouping of six I varieties of New Zealand saplings, including kowhai , and kowaka.