THE JAPANESE DWARF TREES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9308, 7 August 1908, Page 3

THE JAPANESE DWARF TREES.

♦ • (From a pamphlet published in Paris and written by Monsieur Albert . Maumerne.) The art of restricting the growth of even the Urgest trees, so that they will only attain to a mere fraction of their normal size, is, like every other Japanese idea, both original and curious, ami it enables us to place on our tables a fir tree 200 years old or an octogenarian plum tree. To a Japanese the dwarf trees are works of art, equal in value to pictures by true artists. This art of dwarfing forest trees is part of the education of the Japanese gentry. It has its schools and its old masters. The young persons of the wealthy classes devote to this art the time which young European ladies spend in music,, drawing, etc. This shows that the Japanese views on many points are very different from ours. To the Japanese the garden is the outdoor Salon, and the salon is the indoor gardon. They always like to have before them the illusion of a natural landscape. To admir© these works in der fault of special education in this matter, one must learn to appreciate such curved lines as will charm the eye at first sight. The ' art of Japanese gardeners does not consist in simply growing and flowering beautiful plants. Their ambition is far greater. The trees cultivated in china pots must recall and reproduce by their appearance those which grow on the mountain slope or on the edge of the ravine, and, although dwarf, they must preserve their majestic shapes and natural outlines. Next to. the artistic part, the treatment of these trees is all a matter of time, and it needs the skilful fingers of the Japanese, their light and accurate manipulation, and their sense of what is necessary, to bend, twist, and tie down those frail branches from the offspring of giants, and to make lilliputian trees which will live to 100 years or more. The Japanese, who have invented the art of dwarfing trees, prefer the tiny trees and lilliputian forests rather than the lofty forest trees, venerable shades and the free growth of plant life. These tiny trees, when planted in little jardinieres or in very ©hallow trays or pans, have all the appearance and the characteristics in miniature of their congeners growing freely in the open ; and the majority bear the marks of time, as well as such obvious traces of their treatment as knotted and deformed trunks, twisted and deformed branches and scanty, limited foliage. The aspirations and tastes of Orientals are different from our own ; they hold fa,st to their national traditions, and particularly to those of an aesthetic nature. Generally speaking, the Japanese men are small, and their houses aleo : the latter are built with a view to resisting the elements and earthquakes better. Tiny gardens of delicate scenery surround them, in which big trees wou'd appear to be out of proportion and harmony. It may easily be imagined what pains, patience and constant attention are necessary to obtain such results, and to arrest the growth of what would become a large tree, so that it only attains very dwarf proportions, is no. easy task. For if the dwarf tree lose one of its branches, or characteristics, by a bough being badly trained, it is. no longer of any value. It has been said that these plants might be compared to monstrosities, or deformed people; but this reproach is not merited , for their cultivation consists of a real restraint applied to a tree, which, unrestrained in its development, would have grown freely ; and much determination, patience and tenacity of purpose are required to meet the circumstances of each case. There is no comparison between the plants treated by the Chinese and the Japanese dwarf trees, so different are the objects aimed at and tfie methods 'employed. The Chinese system is to use a framework, iron wire, representing various persons, an animal or other object being placed on the vase, on which are trained the branches of the plant, the hands, head and feet being painted on earthenware when it is wished to represent people. In other cases yews are cut and twisted in the form of mandarins or other persons. One can thus see that the Japanese plants have no more than a distant resemblance to those of China, as they are treated in an entirely different manner. Altitude, dry heat, constant chills, lack of nourishment, confined rootspace, want of nourishment during the youth of the plants, and strong winds, are among the elements which contribute to stunting the plants. All the cultural operations bear^on these points — want of nourishment, frequent pruning, twisting and bending the branches, the use of small pots, root-pruning j and anything which can paralyse the vitality of the plant, by impeding the circulation of the sap, and diminishing the nourishment, tends to check the growth and leads to a very noticeable change in the aspect of the plant so treated, and renders it capable of being dwarfed, which is then- only a matter of time and perseverance. The liaising of dwarf trees has been practised for centuries in both Japan and China with a true artistic passion. Thes6 productions of the collaboration of man and of time are handed down from generation to generation, and plants grown to perfection exhibit either a. certain shape obtained according to an initial plan, or else present the same outline in miniature as they have when growing naturally. This form of Japanese art has its schools and its acknowledged masters, both amateur and professional, just as in Europe in the case of painting and sculpture. Many are experts in the treatment of pines. The family Ito, who preferred to work on Cham cyseparis and Thuya, have educated at To-. kio and other centres many renowned pupils. These artists have signed their vegetable masterpieces, which have at- | tamed and kept a high value, equal at times to that of a high picture. These trees are always taken particular caro of, as the least fault in the shape is regarded as a bleanieh. Conifers are the favourite plants for t dwarfing, and among these the most" commonly used are Tnuya -obtusa, T. filicoides aurea ; Pinus densifiora, P. parviflora, P. Massoniana, P. Thunbergii; Podocarpus nageia, P. macrophylla and P. okina; Larix leptolepis; junipers of many kinds ; Cryptomena japomca ; Cupreseus Corneyana ; Sciadopitys verticulata; Thuya orientals and Ginko biloba. For many reasons these are the best ; they can live with little nourishment, without any risk of the plant dying suddenly ; their roots gro\y quickly, and enable the trunk to carry the crown of foliage at a considerable distance from the pot. Deciduous plants are not so useful. Of these the following are generally employed: — Rhyncospermum. Ivy, Wistaria, Acerßjv Quercuses, Plum trees, Lager&trcemia, TStyrax, Cycas, Azaleas, Honeysuckles, Bain boos, luionyinus, Cydonias, Pomegranates, Pittosporum6, Ficus, Cherries and Crateogus. English people are very fond of these dwarf trees, and numerous importations have been received into their country during the last few years. His Majesty King Edward VII. possesses some unique examples, in which he ies greatly interested. . In France, M. de Montesquion has a collection of magnificent Thuyas. '