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From: bartlone@colossus.med.ge.com (Mike Bartolone 5-4266)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bonsai,alt.bonsai,news.answers,rec.answers,alt.answers
Subject: The rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ: Part1
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Archive-name: bonsai-faq/part1
Name: Part1  Version: 1.8		LastUpdate: 8/31/93 15:41:55

This is part 1 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ

I'll try to update the FAQ either weekly or as often as required
based on the info submitted. (In other words..I'll do it more 
often if required and less often if nothing has changed). The 
FAQ will be posted monthly, and a file explaining how to get the 
FAQ will be posted about half way between FAQ postings.

If there are errors or typos in this text, or if your name has 
been left off of the contributor list, please just drop me a 
note. I'm very much capable of making mistakes...I do promise to
do my best to correct all errors found before the next release 
of the FAQ.

The bonsai Dictionary is still under construction. I have some 
of the most frequently used Japanese terms (according to my 
limited sources), and I have the Latin botanical terms (again 
within the limits of my knowledge/sources...) If you have 
additions or corrections, please e-mail them to me at the 
address below.

THIS FAQ IS NOW AVAILABLE VIA ANONYMOUS FTP!

The Bonsai FAQ, and many other FAQ's are available via anonymous ftp
from rtfm.mit.edu in the directory pub/usenet/news.answers.
The archive name for this FAQ appears in the Archive-name: line
in the auxiliary header found in each of the 5 sections of the
FAQ. The Bonsai FAQ is known as bonsai-faq/part1. (Each part has
a separate name..ie part2, part3 etc..)

A mail server also exists for accessing the FAQ archives. Send
a message to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the command 
'help' in the body of your message. 


+++++++++++++++++++++++++
+The Bonsai Mailing List+
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

For those of you who for one reason or another can not currently
get a feed for rec.arts.bonsai, there may be another way to get
in on the discussion there. Subscribe to the bonsai mailing list!
Subscription is easy. Send e-mail to: LISTSERV@cms.cc.wayne.edu.
In the body of the letter, have the line:

SUB BONSAI <Enter your name>

The mailing list software will extract your mailing address from
the message header, so you don't need to put that in your command.
The messages in the mailing list are automatically posted to
rec.arts.bonsai, and all of rec.arts.bonsai is automatically
mailed to the subscribers of the mailing list! For a list of
commands, send the command: help   to the LISTSERV address.
If you have trouble, you can contact either me (Mike), or
Dan Cwiertniewicz <dan@FOGHORN.PASS.WAYNE.EDU> for help.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ FTP site for bonsai GIF files! +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

An anonymous FTP server for Bonsai GIFS (and other types of pictures)
and other bonsai related files is available at bonsai.pass.wayne.edu 
(IP address 141.217.25.20). Login as anonymous and use guest as a 
password.  You can put images in the /uploads directory, and get images 
from the /pub/GIFS directory. This allows the person responsible for 
the site a chance to check the files before anyone can get them, thus 
avoiding having the site terminated due to inappropriate material.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+European FTP site now available!+
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The FAQ and a some other bonsai related files are now available East
of the Atlantic! If you prefer to get your copy of the FAQ without
the use of one of the transatlantic channels, the address is:
	ftp.lysator.liu.se (130.236.254.1)
The bonsai files are in /usr/local/ftp/pub/gardening/bonsai.


+++++++++++++++++++ CALL FOR TRANSLATORS ++++++++++++++++++++++
If you like Bonsai, and you can translate this FAQ into another
language, please do so...You can either e-mail me the 
translation, or post it directly yourself..I'll add it to the 
FAQ as TRANSLATIONS come in (if they come in...)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
                                     Mike Bartolone
                                 bartlone@med.ge.com
                                           or
                             cs688@cleveland.freenet.edu
                  (first rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ compiler)


The rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ has now been broken down into 
smaller pieces to make mailer mangling less likely.


part 1  Section 1  --  Introduction and Table of contents
        Section 2  --  What is Bonsai?
        Section 3  --  Dictionary of Japanese bonsai terms

part 2  Section 4  --  Dictionary of selected Latin botanical
                        terms.

part 3  Section 5  --  Frequently Asked Questions!
        Section 6  --  Soil

part 4  Section 7  --  Clubs, Associations
        Section 8  --  Reading material (Books and Magazines)
      
part 5  Section 9  --  Suppliers and Nurseries
        Section 10 --  Junipers (Their own section!)
        Section 11 --  Indoor bonsai
        Section C  --  Contributors...


Section 2 What is Bonsai?

This was at one time, the most commonly ask of all FAQ's, but, 
since the Karate Kid was first shown, the frequency with which 
this question gets asked has decreased a little bit..Bonsai is 
literally a plant, (usually a tree or shrub) grown in a tray, 
or dish. The first plants grown in pots were in Egypt about 
4000 years ago, mostly for practical reasons, mobility, and 
convenience. The Greeks, Babylonians, Persians, and Hindus 
copied the technique. The Chinese were the first to plant 
trees in pots for aesthetic purposes about 200 AD. It then 
moved to Japan with the monks that also brought Buddhism in 
the 6th and 7th centuries. This data is supported in essence 
by a scroll from Japan's Kamakura period (1192-1333), in a 
scroll describing life in the Heian period (794-1191).*  
Bonsai as we now know it was perfected in Japan.
   The original bonsai trees were usually collected, dwarfed 
by nature. Today, however, it is probably better to allow such 
specimens to stay where they are. In many locations collecting 
them in the wild is against the law. In others the chance of 
finding a suitable specimen is almost zero.
   Over the years, techniques have evolved which allow the 
grower to change the height and direction of growth, and in 
some cases to dwarf the foliage as well as the plant. Today, 
bonsai is an art form, a living sculpture. There are certain 
classic or traditional forms that can be found and followed, 
but the basic rule of thumb for personal bonsai is 'If you 
like the way it looks, it's a good bonsai'.

*(From The Masters Book of Bonsai)


Section 3 -- Dictionary of Japanese bonsai terms

   Bonsai styles ---
   
     chokkan   Formal Upright
           The chokkan bonsai typically has a single, upright 
           trunk that tapers toward the top, branches are 
           symmetrically balanced and well spaced.
           
     moyogi   Informal Upright
           Moyogi bonsai have a single trunk like the chokkan, 
           but the trunk is usually curved. The trunk generally
           tapers toward the top like the formal upright.
           
     kabudachi (multiple trunks)
       sokan   Twin Trunk
       sankan  Triple Trunk
       gokan   5 trunk
           Two (or 3 or 5) trunks growing from the same root. 
           Usually one trunk is the largest and is referred to 
           as the parent. Good conformation is based on the 
           aesthetic balance of the smaller 'children' to the 
           parent in trunk thickness.
           
     shakan   Slanting
           A single trunk, similar to the formal and informal 
           upright, but cultivated with the trunk growing at 
           an angle other than 90 degrees to the ground. 
           Branches are again balanced and well spaced.
           
     netsuranari   sinuous
           sinuous bonsai have multiple trees growing from a 
           single sinuous root. 5 needle pine are most commonly
           used for this style.
           
     neagari   exposed root
           Roots growing up out of the ground, suspending the 
           trunk in the air characterize this rare style of 
           bonsai.
           
     ikada   raft
           Similar in effect to netsuranari, but typically with 
           one straight horizontal root joining the trees. 
           This is usually accomplished by burying a larger 
           tree horizontally and then training each branch as a 
           separate tree.
           
     fukinagashi   Windswept
           Similar to the slanting style, but all of the 
           branches are swept in one direction as though it 
           were growing in a place with a strong constant 
           prevailing wind.
           
     kengai   cascade
           An unusual form where the trunk and branches arch 
           and 'cascade' over the edge of the pot. Usually 
           planted in a deep pot to give balance to its 
           unusual form.

           
     bunjingi   literati
           upright or informally upright trunk bare of branches
           except at the top, characterized by a tasteful 
           simple elegance.
           
     hokidachi    broom
           broom style trees have an upright trunk, with 
           branches evenly fanned out. It resembles an old 
           fashioned broom standing on its handle.
           
     yose-ue   Group
           A group planting of distinct separate trees, 
           representing a grove, or forest.
           
     ishitsuki   rock-grown
           There are two basic types of rock grown bonsai, 
           root grasping the rock, where the roots do enter 
           the soil the rock is protruding from, and on, or 
           in the rock, where the tree is planted in a pocket 
           of earth attached to the rock, or in a hollow in 
           the rock.
           
   Growing techniques

       misho       grown from seed
       yamadori    collecting plants from nature
       sashiki     grown from cuttings
       tsugiki     grafting  
       toriki      layering and dividing
       
  Other Japanese bonsai terms --
  
       nebari      the rootball of a bonsai


End of Section 3 -- Dictionary of Japanese bonsai terms.
End of Part 1 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ.
Continued in part 2
