| The following is a list of known English language bonsai references. |
| Primary sources have been Poole's Index (Vol. IV, 1892-1896) and Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature (Vol. 1+, 1900- ). Bonsai-specific periodicals are not listed in this section. "P" before an entry indicates a turn-of-the-century article having only a passing mention of dwarf trees. "S" before an entry indicates an article which, though not specifically about dwarf trees, does have a significant portion concerning them. For historical significance, the following are listed in chronological order: |
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Livingstone, John "Observations
on the Difficulties which have existed in the Transportation of Plants
from China to England, and Suggestions for obviating them," Transactions
of the Horticultural Society of London, Vol. III, pp. 421-429.
Read Nov. 16, 1819; letter dated Macao Feb 5th, 1819; published 1820.
Livingstone, John "Account
of the Method of Dwarfing Trees and Shrubs, as practiced by the Chinese,
including their Plan of Propagation from Branches," Transactions
of the Horticultural Society of London, Vol. IV, pp. 224-231.
Read June 20, 1820; letter undated from Macao; published 1822.
S A review of The Industries of Japan by J.J. Rein, Garden and Forest, July 3, 1889. Vol. 2, pp. 321-322. "Demise of a 300 year old Cedar," Garden and Forest, Vol. VI, No. 264, March 15, 1893, pg. 128. In a general section with the small heading "Notes." Tenth paragraph; not otherwise separately marked. Added 01/22/01 "Dwarfing Plants in Japan," Garden and Forest, September 6, 1893. Vol. 6, pg. 373. Extracts from a paper by Henry Izawa, gardener of the Imperial Japanese Commission to the Columbian Exposition. P Matthews, Herbert "Curious Clipped Trees," in Strand magazine (London), c. 1898. Vol. 15, pp. 80-85. The eleven b&w photos were the first of English topiaries to appear in a popular magazine.
"Japanese Dwarf Trees," Scientific
American Supplement, June 9, 1900. Vol. 49, pg. 20442.
Four paragraphs, each from a different source, one with a b&w illustration
of a double-flowering plum.
Bedford, Cornelia E. "Elfin Trees," Harper's Bazar [sic], August 11, 1900. Vol. 33, pp. 915-917. With 12 b&w photos. P
Duncan, Frances "Japanese Plants
in American Gardens," Atlantic Monthly, September 1901.
Vol. 88, pp. 403-409. About full-size plants then in use in America.
Berger, H.H. "Japanese Dwarf Trees," St. Nicholas, a magazine for boys and girls, Vol. 37, pp. 168-169, December 1909. In the section "Nature and Science For Young Folks." Four b&w photographs.
"How to Make Dwarf Trees,"
Scientific American, May 10, 1913, Vol. 108, pg. 432. Two
long paragraphs.
"How Japanese Dwarf Trees Are Raised," Scientific American, June 11, 1921, Vol. , pg. 473. Three long paragraphs with five b&w photos. Brownfield, Marion "How to Make a Japanese Dish-Garden," The House Beautiful, November 1921, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 422-423. About a column and a half (one page = three-columns). "Forest of Odd Dwarf Trees Grown by 'Surgery'," Popular Science Monthly, July 1929, pg. 63. Three b&w photos. "Trees Dwarfed By Surgery," The Literary Digest, August 17, 1929, pg. 35. Two of photos and most of text from the above. S Hansen, Albert A. "Dwarf Plants, they are normal in all but size," Nature Magazine, August 1930, Vol. , pp. 121, 130. Two pages, mostly about naturally stunted trees and the necessary conditions for this. Has one long paragraph pertaining to Orientals' efforts with dwarfing. McClure, F.A. "Methods and Materials of Chinese Table Plant Culture," Lingnan Science Journal (Canton: Lingnan University), Vol 12, Supplement, pp. 119-164. Issued May 22, 1933. With eleven b&w photos. Guthrie, Eleanor H. "The Ancient Art of Bonsai," House Beautiful, June 1933, pp. 284F, 284G, 284N. With five photos. "Rare and Fine Examples in the collection of Mr. Larz Anderson." [Following Anderson's death four years later, thirty plants, the major portion of his collection, would be donated by his wife to the Arnold Arboretum.] Added 08/27/00 Wyman, Donald "The Larz Anderson Collection of Japanese Dwarf Trees," Arnold Arboretum Bulletin of Popular Information, Series 4, Vol. VI, No. 7, May 27, 1938, pp. 31-39. With three b&w plates. The art is repeatedly referred to as ' "Bon-sai".' Added 11/28/00 "Amateur Plant Magician: Raises Dwarf Trees in Flowerpot Forest," Popular Science Monthly, June 1938, pg. 47. Four b&w photos. About James F. Craven. L'Allemand, Gordon "Dwarf Trees Come to America," Travel, January 1943, pp. 28, 29, 32. Three pages with seven b&w photos by the author. About Lee Holdakowski's extensive collection in California. Sherman, Chester "Jap Stunt," Life, October 18, 1943, pg. 131. In the "Pictures to the Editors" section with four b&w photos.
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| Anyone who knows of additional citations to bonsai in general circulation periodicals before 1945 is asked to please contact rjb@phoenixbonsai.com. Contributor acknowledgment will be posted. Please include as many details as possible. Thank-you! |
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