The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-02-21
Pigmy Trees and Miniature Land
SCapeS.

| In some ways the Chinese and Japa-
nese gardeners are the most successful
in the world. They can control and
divert the growth of plants in man.
ner that seems really marvellous until
the principle on which it is done is
known, when. as in many other mat
tiers, it becomes quite simple.
The Chinese have such strong ik-
ing for the grotesque, and unnatural,
that the handiwork of their gardeners is
not so pleasing as that of the japanese
| gardeners. The Chinese understand
the dwarfing of trees; but their best
work is in so directing the growth of a
tree or plant that it viii resemble some
hideous animal that is only fit to exist
in nightmare.
The japanese, on the contrary, are
remarkable for their love of the beauti-
full and graceful, and, consequently.
ugly forms find no favor with them.
Every japanese hes a garden if it be
possible; but, as space is valuable in
Japan, only the very rich can have
very large grounds, and the family in
moderate circumstances must be con-
tent with a garden often smaller in
area than the floor of one of our hall
bedrooms in narrow city house.
Nevertheless, that small garden must
contain as many objects as the large
garden, and, OF course, the only way
of accomplishing the desired result is
to have everything in miniature. 1t is
no uncommon thing to see whole
landscape contained in space no
greater than the top of q dining table.
There will be a mountain, a stream,
lake, rocky grottoeS, winding paths,
bridges, lawns, fruit trees, shrubs eod
flowers, all so ar1isticaIIy lao ont nc
to resemble nature, itself In the lake
will swim wonderful, tilmy-fnned cold
ana SILVER nsEsl, and not infrequently
the tau .orm of crane will be seen
moving majestically about the tiny
landscape
This seems wonderful enough; but
what will you think when | say that it
is reproduced on so small a scale that
the two pages of s.. Nicholas, as it lies
open before you, can cover it, La this
case tiny house is added; delicate
green moss takes the place of grass, and
glass covers the lake where the water
should be. Counterfeit fish swim in
the glass lake, and false crane over
crane does the larger landscape. The
mountain, winding walks, bridges, and
rocky grottoes are in the little land
scape; and real trees bearing fruit, or
covered with dainty blossoms, are in
their proper places.
These trees are of the right proper
tions to fit the landscape. and they are.
consequently, so tiny that oneis tempt
ed to doubt their realty; and more than
one stranger has slyly taken the leaves
or fruit between his fingers, in order
to make sure that the dwarfs do truly
live, and are not, like tie fish and
crane, mere counterfeits. These mini
ature landscapes have been successfully
brought to this country; and on one oc-
casion lady of San Francisco used one
as center-pieee on the table at din
--- l~--4s- Co., .1s- --4l-4l--<. !
admiration of her guests, who could
scarcely be convinced that the almost
microscopic apples on the trees were
genuine fruit.
And now comes the question-how
is the dwarfng done? The principle is
simple. The gardener merely thwarts
nature. He knows that, to grow prop
erly, tree requires sunlight, heat,
moisture, and nourishment from the
soil. He takes measures to let the tree
have only just enough of these to en-
able it to keep alive.
To begin, he takes little seeding
or cutting, about two inches high, and
cuts off its main root. He then puts
the plant in a shallow dish, with the
cut end Of the root resting against a
stone, to retard its growth by prevent
ing nourishment entering that way
Bits of clay the size of bean are put
in the dish, and are so regulated in
kind and quantity as to afford the least
possible food for the little rcotlets
which have been left on the poor little
tree. Water, heat, and light are fur
nished the struggling plant in just sui
ficient quantities to hold life in it with
out giving it enough to thrive on. In
addition, any ambitious attempt TO
thrive, in spite of these drawbacks, is
checked by clipping with sharp knife
or soaring with red-hot iron.
After from five to fifteen years of
such treatment, the only wonder is that
the abused tree viii consent to live, to
say nothing of bearing fruit.-Jotn Il.
COryetl, Ia 50. Nicholas