The state herald., 1892-04-22
JAPANESE GARDENING.
MINIATURE JUMPERS AND cE-
OARS A CENTURY OLD.
Tiny Cherry Trees In Full Bloom-Dear-
Ing Fruit of Normal sixe-Tho
Curious stuntIng Process
Practiccd,

Tho Japanese have tho reputation
OF boing wonderful gardeners. says
the San Francisco Chronicle but tho
general American public does not
realize just how wonderful they are.
1t is possible that nearly every intelli-
gent newspaper reader has heard OF
tho Japanese drawf cedars. 1t Is safe
to sny. however. that this samo read
or thinks little or nothing OF ull that
is implied In that term until he Is sud-
denly confronted with living speci-
men.
Think OF 1t! In blue. and-whito
porcelain pot measuring loss than ono
cubic foot is u gnarlcd juniper not
two foot in height yet whose stout
trunk and spreading limbs gavo every
indication OF full maturity Nor is
this all. Tho pigmy patriarch is prob
ably Mt least 100 years OF ago. True
this Is Japanese yesterday. But
whore was our great and glorious re-
public when that treo was first planted
in that same porcelain potP
A cedar. n juniper. bamboo q
palm or scrow pine and the story is
similar. At 15 years OF ago an ever
green tree is no larger than an ordinary
sized bunch OF violets. At 120 years
tho sorrow Pine. with perfect trunk and,
palm-lilo fronds, docs not reach n
height OF l8 inches.
In cedar and juniper strange to
say the mossy foliage attains the US
ual sizo seen In this division OF conf
fers. In fir, palm or bamboo the
leaflets are corrcspondingly dwaifed
into swhat might be truly termed
baby leaves" A cedar becomes gro
tcsque. us well MS curious and inter
esting, when Its branches nrc trained
round and round, so that its greencry
Will form perfect discs.
The practical Western man is in
clined 10 ask: ''Why do tho Japanese
resort to such barbarous ingenultics
when they do not payP" For it cannot
pay to raise such miniature mons.ros.
tiles A dwarf cedar 10 years old can
be purchased for 81. md another a
hundred years old for sl2. Japanese
gardeners tell you that dwariing Is n
very difficult art requiring twenty
years to learn. So far rs tho Oricn,als
will explain tho process. they say that
1t is necessary to keep tho plant in
one pot and gradually lift II to prevent
its roots spreading. This lifting must
be done daily for years The plant is
also "watered" with n secret mixture
made after n recipe handed down In
Japan through many centurics
Tho ccdars make very littlo trouble.
After they have attained certain
ago they aro not expected to grow
any more. They will live n long
time. needing no moro care than a
little watering. like any ordinary
plant
The so-called 'flowering shrubs"
have also become tho object OF the
Japanese dwnriers skill Imagine n
cherry treo 10 years old but only 2
iect tall. Think OF II growing In n
common red earthen flower pot. but
loaded with snowy bios oms OF the
full natural size. II Is Just MS easy TO
Imagine II plum tree In both Of
these tho flowers appear before tho
leaves Strange TO toll. the tiny trees
produce full sized fruit which attain
thcir proper color and arc fit to eat.
Perhaps the strength Of tho plant Is
kept In by what appears TO be tho
usunl practice OF chopping tho ends OF
tho branches and twigs squarely OF.
Tho beautiful magnolia stoilata or
star r-blossomcd magnolia Is somewhat
OF rarity IN this country. 1t is oc-
casionally seen In parks and gardens
In company with other better known
Japanese species OF this superb genus
Scarcely so often on this continent Is
1t beheld In reduced abnormal form.
But when so bchc!d 1t displays charms
nil its own.
a little magnolia bush may stand
above tho pot In which Il Is planted
about cightoon inches The creamy
white blossom fnlnily Hinged with
pink on the outside will be quite rs
large rs 1t ought To bo on bush
twenty fcot high. So will tho pale
green. vclvoty buds But tho little
bush itself? Possibly Its ungrnceful
form lot some light into tho secret OF
tho surprising sIzo and vigor OF the
buds The bush Is cut down To one
main branch. with un extra twig or
two Mt tho root This reminds us of
ono OF tho ways In which the Japanese
produce chrysan,hcmums-thnt Is by
plnching all tho buds on tho side OF a
stalk md allowing tho strength
OF tho plant to run into ono bud at tho
top
Tho dwarf nznlca sooms rather tnll
for dwarf |, may reach hoight OF
from 2 To 2 fooL This does not look
very short In comparison with tho
tiny long.lIvcd screw pines and frs,
particularly ms nn aEalca bush. In It's
natural state. never docs grow worry
tall Still 2 feet Is u decided decrease Q
from G or 10. Perhaps tho mos, sur.
prising feature OF tho dwnrfod azaiea
Is not Its stuntod stature but lts rv.
ducod flowers.
pI~r uirthdny Cake,