FredL

Walter, I have seen you argue this point in the past and I still disagree with you regarding it. Let me say why.

Awhile back, I saw an article in "Bonsai Today" devoted to a Japanese Black Pine which had been raised from a seed by Masahiko Kimura in Japan. It was twenty some years old and was spectacular. Now I doubt that Mr. K. saw any special qualities in the seed he collected; rather the result reflected what could be accomplished by a man of genius over the course of nearly 3 decades.

Actually, this is only one of many examples I've seen over the years of magnificent trees grown from seed. Quite recently BT had an article on growing JBP from seed that showed wonderful reults achieved in ten to twelve years. The reason stated in the article for growing from seed was that in Japan, many if not most of the really fine specimens growing in the mountains there have already been collected over the years and the demand for good stock can not be satisfied by the natural environment any more. Which, of course, is not the case where you are. You are blessed with many trees that are close to being "natural bonsai". Of course, it makes sense to use them. Many people do not have access to such material, or it is very expesive for them to acquire. My own opinion is that it is not helpful to discourage them from starting bonsai from what IS easily available to them with the caution that it will take them longer to develop their trees.

I am quite sure that if you had only "garbage" (which I take to mean younger material or material with severe defects that will require the tree to be taken back to an earlier stage of development), you would soon be developing trees just as amazing as the ones you do now, but over longer periods of time.

I have seen my own seedlings develop over the limited time I've had them and I am quite sure that given another 3 to 5 years, I will have many trees that, in your hands, could be developed into very fine specimens. You might raise the question, "But why invest so much time and effort when you could have started with something already adequate for initial styling or with the same qualities you took years to develop?". This is a valid point, which I have addressed elsewhere, but is quite a different issue from that of whether immature trees with little to recommend them can or can not be developed over a few or many years into excellent bonsai.

I have friends with a "garbage dog", of uncertain parentage acquired from the local animal shelter. It is very beautiful and as smart and pleasant a dog to be around as I have ever seen. I suppose, in a Water Pall world, it would have been put to sleep the day it came in. I know it has two delighted owners that are very happy it wasn't.

Best regards, Fred