Practical bonsai for beginners

Bonsai is a living art object, an artistic piece created with superb aesthetic sense and dexterity to bring out the full natural beauty of the plant. The bonsai artist plants his dwarfed tree in a small bonsai vessel to portray either an old tree atop a mountain or a stately giant tree rising high above a vast plain. Although there is naturally a great deal of enjoyment to be had from merely looking at a well-trained bonsai, there is much more enjoyment in actually creating a bonsai oneself. The first step in the bonsai hobby is transforming an ordinary mountain or field plant into a dwarfed tree. This first step is also one of the hobby's greatest charms. An introduction into the art of the bonsai opens a new world of enjoyment to anyone. Of course, the beginner should not expect to create a masterpiece, but he can, with care, produce an admirable dwarfed tree with comparative ease. Bonsai raising is not only a healthful and stimulating hobby, it also serves to bring one closer to the wonders of the natural world. With this in mind, we have directed this book to the beginner and have used trees that are easily obtained anywhere, primarily the evergreens. We have included a large number of photographs, figures, and easy-to-follow explanations. In the first pages of the book, we discuss the appreciation of the bonsai, and we explain the roots, trunks, branches and leaves that make up the plant's beauty. At the same time, we have included gravure illustrations of a number of bonsai famous for their beautiful shapes. These illustrations, however, are not intended merely to be enjoyed, but also to serve as models. In Chapter one, we explain the seven preparation methods, then we go on to explain the transplanting, or rejuvenating, of the plant, the time of the year to transplant the vessels to use, the proper soil, the tools, the order in which to transplant, and the methods themselves. Training is absolutely indispensable in the raising of bonsai. Practicing the artificiality of training is essential both in adding originality and technique to the natural tree and in preserving the tree's perfected shape. We mention the basic rules of training, how to make progress in training, and the principle techniques, such as picking the buds, trimming the leaves, cutting the branches and the roots, wiring, and lifting the branches. Finally we discuss the common-sense care of your bonsai, where to display the plant, the bonsai shelf, the bonsai pedestal, and the watering and fertilizing of the plant. A fondness for bonsai is important, but these plants require proper care and handling. In the last pages of the book, we have included a guide to the proper care of fifty of the most popular types of bonsai trees. We feel that this too will be of great use to anyone beginning to learn the art of bonsai. - Dust jacket.… (more)