THE JAPANESE DWARF TREES. 



57 



Japanese are not so unnatural as has been often stated. That is, one must 

 not forget, that they are clever and adroit imitators rather than creators 

 in the full sense of the word ; everything in Japanese arts and indus- 

 tries demonstrates this most fully. 



The raising of dwarf trees has been practised for centuries in both 

 Japan and China with a true artistic passion, These productions of the 



Fig. 8.— Thuya. 



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. Eseki, Chokaro, Murano, Oesope, Magoyemon, 



