by George Buehler

This issue of the newsletter is by far the largest we have sent out. We are running two “scientifi c” articles which we believe will extend your bonsai knowledge. The fi rst article on Botanical names was written originally in Swedish for the Swedish Bonsai Society by Birgitta Eriksson a botanist in Umea Sweden. It was translated by Henrik Gistvall. I think it will give you a good idea of where and why we use the scientifi c names. The second article, on bonsai containers written by Fred Aufschläger, gives a complete guide to selecting the proper pot, including a chronology of pot history. This article appeared in the Great Swamp Bonsai Society (NJ) newsletter. Both articles are used with permission of the authors.

This month we will have Dana Quattelbaum for a tree styling workshop. Dana is a skilled bonsai artist and is production manager for Brussel’s Bonsai. If you have a tree that you want help styling, this would be an excellent workshop to attend. Dana can look at trees and quickly give you ideas on how to correct styling problems. In discussions with Dana, it is obvious that he believes each tree has it’s own good and bad points. He seems to have a knack for accentuating the good while minimizing the bad. He instructs in a down to earth manner and doesn’t degrade either your tree or you for making mistakes. He also has the ability to remember trees that he has worked on in the past. He helped my wife and I on styling a fi ve needle white pine several years ago and every time we talk he asks about that little tree. This will be an excellent workshop and I highly recommend that you attend.

Even though Midge Goeth is spending the winter in Florida, she just can’t seem to get away from Bonsai (or this newsletter). Read her interesting More Than Just Tofu article beginning on Page 5