著者

松居 竜五

出版者

龍谷大学

雑誌

龍谷大学国際社会文化研究所紀要 (ISSN:18800807)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.7, pp.149-156, 2005-03-25

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Walter Tennyson Swingle (1871-1952), botanist of US Department of agriculture had correspondence with Minakata Kumagusu from 1906 to 1920. According to the 23 letters from Swingle preserved in Minakata's former residence, he continued to ask Minakata to study the origins of cultivated plants in ancient Chinese literature. The aim of Swingle was to prove the pre-Columbian communication between China and America by the traces of cultivated plants such as corn. He also tried to invite Minakata to US, suggesting that he would possibly offer a research position for him in the Congress Library. We herewith publish the transcription of Swingle's letter to Minakata and examine the relationship between the two botanists.