What kind of tree is Grant's Pine?
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Former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant planted this tree in bTokyo in 1879. Note: Public access to the area of this virtual cache is between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, every day of the year. Please visit only within these hours. There is no charge to access the area of the virtual cache.
In 1879, former U.S. President Ulysses Simpson Grant (he had served as the 18th President of the United States, from 1869 to 1877, when his second term as President ended) made a two-year diplomatic world tour with his wife, Julia Dent Grant. The tour included visits to Brazil, Ireland, Britain, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Russia, Austria, Greece, Egypt, Palestine, Thailand, Burma, India, China and Japan. While in Japan, Grant had an audience with Emperor Meiji (it is reported that Grant actually shook hands with the Emperor, an action which which was unheard of at the time under Japanese protocol) and had political discussions with the leaders of Japan. Grant visited several sites in Tokyo, and at this one he was invited to plant a tree in commemoration of his visit (a traditional Japanese way to honor an important visitor). This tree is now known in Japanese as "Guranto Matsu" or, translated literally into English, “Grant's Pine”. You can find the tree that Grant planted at the above coordinates. Though just a sapling in 1879, in the 130-plus years since it was planted, it has grown quite a bit. In 1950's American popular culture, there was a very well-known question which American comedian Groucho Marx would often ask contestants on his popular television quiz show “You Bet Your Life”. The question was "Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?" Groucho would ask this very easy question when a contestant couldn’t seem to answer any of the other quiz questions correctly. The contestant would be sure to correctly give the obvious answer “Grant”, and easily win $25. But the question “What kind of tree is Grant’s Pine?” is not so easy, since Grant's Pine is in fact NOT a pine tree. So the question is - what kind of tree is it? To claim credit for this virtual cache, visit the cache location in person and confirm the correct botanical name of this species of tree in English - the name of this species of tree appears on the metal plaque at the base of the tree (PLEASE DO NOT POST A PHOTO OF THE PLAQUE IN YOUR LOG ENTRY-or if you do, alter it so that the botanical name of the tree is not readable). NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT LOG A FIND UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY VISIT THE SITE!! SIMPLY FINDING THE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET DOES NOT COUNT!! If you meet the following requirements, you may proceed to log your visit: 1) You actually visited the site 2) You have sent the correct answer to me Note: It not required to get my permission to log if you complete both of the above. Please go ahead and log your visit. For extra credit, confirm the name of the other U.S. President that planted a tree more recently, a few meters away. Just mention if you got "extra credit" when you log your visit. P.S. – There is another tree that bear’s Grant’s name – The General Grant Tree in King’s Canyon National Park, California, USA is a 1800+ year-old Giant Sequoia. It is 81.7 meters tall and the third largest tree in the world (data as of Dec., 2002). No, Ulysses S. Grant didn’t plant that one!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Vs lbh pna'g svaq gur gerr, purpx guvf:
Uvag 1: Znal byqre zncf, pne anivtngvba flfgrzf, naq znccvat/anivtngvba fbsgjner va Wncna znl hfr Gbxlb Qnghz vafgrnq bs JTF84 Qnghz, juvpu vf gur pheerag jbeyq fgnaqneq. Vs lbh hfr gur JTF84 pbbeqvangrf tvira sbe guvf yvfgvat jvgu n ybpny znc be n byqre pne anivtngvba flfgrz gung hfrf Gbxlb Qnghz, be n TCF erprvire frg gb Gbxlb Qnghz nf n ersrerapr, lbh jvyy or bss ol nyzbfg unys n xvybzrgre! Sbe gubfr hfvat na byqre ybpny znc, be n pne anivtngvba flfgrz be TCF erprvire hfvat Gbxlb Qnghz, urer ner gur Gbxlb Qnghz pbbeqvangrf sbe Tenag'f Cvar: A35q 39z 14.6f R139q 45z 10.6f GBXLB QNGHZ.
Vs Uvag 1 qbrfa'g uryc, frr Uvag 2 (PNHGVBA:FCBVYRE).
Uvag 2: Gur gerr vf arne gur znva ragenapr tngr bs Mbwbwv Grzcyr.
V ubcr lbh rawbl Trbpnpuvat va Wncna!