Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-11
JAP ANESE DWARF TREES
How They Are Produced-The Seec.
ton and Survival OF the Uniittest.

ton and Survival OF the Unilttest.
Staged near the door of NO.
House" al Kew Gardens are three
moderate sized flower pots, the con
tents OF which can hardly fail to at
tract the notice Of a curious visitor
The pots contain three expresses OF
close upon centuly's growth, which
are yet hardly more than two feet
high Each tlce Is a perfect model OF
some veteran of TIN woods, with
gnarled and twisted roots protrud ng
from the surface of the soil, their
stems and branches bearing every sign
of age, three forest trees in mnia-
ture, as grown so largely b. tbs Jap
anese.
At first sight this cult of the
dwarf tree which is\ carried to such
perfection by the natives oi Japan
that it forms with their upper class
rs part OF liberal education, may
seem childish and even @anton
sport thus 10 crib, cabin and cOntinr
the natural energy OF noble trees Lat
it must he remembered Tia lh Jap
anese horticulture the ART OF landscape
gardening in miniature plays an inn
portant part, town or village with
surrounding country. will be formed
within Il plot OF ground few yards
square. river with its bridges, a
lake with tiny ships upon its breast,
roads. gardens, fields, form part of
the design. This borne in mind, 1t
will 1T once be clear that if the tiny
model is TO exhibit that perfect aceu-
racy which its creators love trees
grown TO scale are necessary for its
completion. and hence the cult of the
dwarf tree Among deciduous trees
thus treated are the oak, pomegran'
ate, plum, cherry and others, but
coniters. such as pinus densiflora,
pinus abb flora and especially the
Thuya, are more commonly used, and
this for the obvious reason that their
leaves exhibit less sproportion to
the General design than would, for in
stance, those of an oak or plum tree
two feet high Dwarf oaks and pome.
eranates OF $50 years growth are in
existence. while maple has attained
the age of $50 years.
To many people the method of
producing these curiosities of arbori.
culture is still a mystery; an intelli'
gent gardener, we'll acquainted with
the little trees by sight, recently
acknowledged entire ignorance of how
they were grown, and indeed Eek
pected the Japs kept that to them
selves" But the course to be pur-
sued Is perfectly simple: the whole
system of culture may be summed up
as being the exact reverse of natures
way--the survival, or rather perhaps
the selection, of the "unfittest' The
best, although the slowest, method is
to raise the tree from seed. A poor
and shriveled seed is chosen and
planted AS soon as the leading shoot
has attained some little growth it is
cut short Off. The little tree, recover.
ing from this rude and unexpected
shock. puts out two further shoots:
the growth ofsthese is watched until
one OF the two exhibits Il markedly
greater strength and vitality than its
fellow. when it is removed and the
weaker reserved to form the trees
main stem. The same system OF check
and encouragement is maintained all
through the future growth. Water is
given grudgingly. and only in sui
ficient quantities to keep The tree
alive It is kept in a pot TOO ANAL
for the full development of its roots,
and these, moreover, are severely
pruned, the tap.root being wholly or
I'm part removed The shoots, mean
while, are trained and bent to mimic
in their growth the branches OF an
aged tree. sometimes being tied In
knots The stem is occasionally twist
ed round block of coral or Of mad.
repore; in some cases the growth Of
tho roots and collar" Of the tree Is
made special feature, being abnor.
mally encouraged till the roots appear
in disproportionate size above the
a,irface OF the soil In which the tree il