How the Bicentennial Collection Came to America

John L. Creech, Retired Director U. S . National Arboretum, Washington, D .C .

APRIL 2001

SPONSORED BY THE YUl l YOSHlMUrtA EDUCATIONAL FUND OF THE NATIONAL BONSAI FOUNDATION

Book Degign: Lia Mnm Japsmc Languqp Ed'itor: Kazuko Omoto Phwqpphy: Cow Wamn Hill; Page 43: Peter Bloomer

02001 T h e Natioaal Bonsai Foundation

All rights reservd. part of chis book may be ieproduced in whole or part without the written pecmialon of the publisher.

ISBN; 0-9704392-2.9

Published by The Natiuaal b s a i Foundatiun Websicc A&reur: bonsai.nbf.org

Princed In ?%e United st ace^ d America

T A B L E OF C O N T E N T S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preface 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . List of Playen 6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction 8 Bonsai a n d Penjing in the U.S. Before the Bicentennial . . . . . . . 9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plant Hunting in Japan 11 1955 Expedition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1956 Expedition 13

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 1 Expedition 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Idea of a Bicentennial Gift of Bonsai 14

. . . . . Potomac Bonsai Association 1973 Spring Show 14 . . . . . . USDA Approval to Import Bansai "with Soil)) 15

. . . . . . . Nippon Bonsai Association's Favorable Reply 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Support from ABS and BCI 16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Logistical Obstacles 17 A Visit With Henry Hohman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Colonel Hinds Becomes a Bonsai Diplomar . . . . . . . . . 20

. . . . . . . . . . . . Meeting with NBA Directors in Tokyo 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Choosing the First Bonsai Curator 24

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Gift Takes Shape - 2 5 . . . . . . . NBA Selects Bonsai and Suiseki to Be Given 25 . . . . . . . A Disappointing Respwc from the Pentagon 26

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Pan Am Purchase Ordm 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Announcing the Gift 27

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bringing the Gift to the United States 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ceremony in Tokyo 28

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preparing the Gifts for Shipment 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flight Home 32

Making the Best of Quarantine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Construction of the Japanese Bonsai Pavilion 3 5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Emperor Comes to Washington 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The NBA Directors Visit Their Bonsai 39

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Development of a Logo 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Dedication Ceremony 41

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preparation 41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Gods Smiled on Us 42

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Reminder About Security 44 Vignettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT DR. JOHN CREEW, THE THIRD DIRECTOR of the U.S. National Arboretum, was a visionary leader. It was 1973 and the American Bicentennial Celebration was lwrning just over the horizon. The question was how could the Arboretum celebrate this momentous event? Dr. Creech, once a plant explorer in the Far East for the Department of Agriculture Research Service, seized this opportunity. Drawing on his experience in Japan, he negotiated a magnificent bequest of 53 bonsai given by the people of Japan to the citizens of the United States as a Bicentennial present.

What follows is a narrative of the events associated with this Bicentennial gift and the numerous obstacles he encountered. This story can only be told by the key player: fohn Cceech. We are very grateful to him for writing this account so that ir may be shared with and enjoyed by others. We are even more indebted to him for his perseverance in bringing his vision to fruition. His conviction that a major display of bonsai wouId be compatible with the mission of the Arboretum, and would be of enormous interest to the visiting public, was absoluteIy right.

The initial pavilion, wiuch in 1976 displayed the original Japanese collection, has been expanded over the hsr 25 years into a major complex- the first bonsai museum in the world. T h e National Bonsai & Penjing Museum displays masterpiece bonsai and penjing, exquisite viewing stones and related artifacts. I t also includes an imporcant library devoted to bonsai and related subjects. The Museum thus offers visitors, bonsai artists and scholars from all over the world a unique experience in appreciating the Asian art forms associated with bonsai and penjing.

AII of us involved with the Museum today are deeply grateful to John Creech for his foresight and leadership.

Thomas S. Eiias Director U.S. National Arboretum April 2001

LIST OF P L A Y E R S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anderson. U.S. Ambassador Larz 9 Appteby.Mr.Sam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Arima. Miss Junko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22. 28

. . ' a . Avery. Dr . George . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., .. + . + - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10. 13 Butz. Mr . Earl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.34. 38. 41. 42. 43. 44

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter. First Lady Rosalynn .24. 45 Carter. President Jimmy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45. 46 Carey. Lieutenant General Maurice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Cathcy.Dr.H.Marc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creech. Mrs Elaine 47 Cullinan. Dr . Frank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Del Trdici. Dr . Peter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

. . . . . . . . . . Drechsler. Mr Robert 19. 24. 25. 28. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 39.41. 42.44. 47 Uminsrer. Mr . Talcoct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16. 17. 22, 24. 26. 27. 34 Egolf.Dr.DonaldR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3. L4.25. 37 Elias. Dr . Thomas S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . 9 . 47 Empercx Hirohito. Emperor of Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1. 36.38. 45 Fairchild. Dr . David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . 16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ford. First Lady Betty - 3 8 Ford. President Gerald R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 8 . 45 Fukuda. Japanese Primc Minister Takeo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45. 46 Gy!lenswan. Mrs . Marion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Hill. Mr . Warren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24. 44 Hinds. Colonel John (USAF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. 15. 16. 17. 18. L9. 20. 21. 22. 37 Hodgson. U.S. Ambassador lames D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28.29. 30 Hoge. Mo . Beverley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Mohman. Mr . Henry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18. 19 Hume.Mr.David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Kato. Mr . Kanamc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12. 13. 16. 17. 20.22. 42 Kato. Mr . Sabuto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.22. 24

*

Kinmhica. Mr . Masao (Mas) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35.37. 39 Kishi. Japanese Primc Minister Nobusuke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . t 6. 28. 29. 30

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kissinger Dr Henry 28. 38. 41.42. 43 Koide. Mr . Nobuklchi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.20.22.23.24.25.28.41.42. 43

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lamanna. Mrs . Ruth . 3 5 . 3 9 . 44

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lanman. Mrs Janet E 21.35.39. 44 Lui.Mr.Shueying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 March, Mr . Sylvester (Skip) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 37, 38,

39, 41, 42, 43,45, 46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MacDonald. Mr . Malcolm 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Masters. Ms . Ann 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Morita. Mr . Kazuya 22

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Naka. Mr . John 23.33. 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newton. Mr . Jim .16. 17. 18

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nixon. President Richard M 11. 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oliver. Ms . Beverly 17

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Potrberg. b/k . Clifford 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prince Takamatsu. Japanese Imperial Family Z5. 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Princess Chichibu. Japanese lmperial Family 25. 45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rainwater. Mr . Ivan .15.26. 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rosade. Mr . Chase 37

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sanborn. Mr . Donald 42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sasaki. Mr . Hideo 35

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saro. Mr . Kisaku 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scarborough. Mr . Bill .36. 37

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seibert. Dc . Russell 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tachibana. Mr . Tnkei 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Takahashi. Mr . Teisuka 29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Takeshita. Mr . Takeo 42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thibodo. Mrs . Doris 42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tbomasson. Mr . Larry 26

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Togo. Japanese Ambassador Fumihiko .34.39.41.42. 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Togo. Mrs . Fumihiko .39. 45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wales. HRH The Princess of 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warren. Mrs . Dorothy 35

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wiison. Mr . Ernest 12. 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wu. Dc Ye-Sun 11. 2 2 2 1.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yamaki. Mr . Masaru 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yanagisawa. Mr . Kiyoshi 26

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yoshimura. Mr . Yuji 13. 17. 18. 19.21. 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Young. Ms . b r o t h y 17. 21

INTRODUCTION

M Y FIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE art of bonsai was in 1947 when 1 joined numbers of plant accessions that are received. Seed introductions 0fkn went directly to USDA the staff of the Drvision of Plant Exploration departmental plant breeden or were placed in

I I and Introduction of the U.S. Department of storage, while collected living plants were I - Agriculture at Beltsvil\e, Maryland. In 1898 required to be grown at Federal Plant htro- Dr. David Fairchild established this USDA duct ion Stations located in different clirnatic division for the purpase of sending plant regions of the country. exphers searching the world for new plants for American agriculture.

In a cwntry with only the sunflower,

The Federal Plant lntroductian Smtion at Glenn Dale, Maryland, WM one such location. T h e Glenn Dale station served not only as a

blueberry, cranberry, and pecan as native food growing-on facility but also as the main quaran- crops, American agriculture is enhanced by tine station foc plants nmmally prohibited from food, feed, and fiber plants from around entering the United Staes. Thmmds of vaiud

able plant collections have passed through its the world. S i c e its inception, the Division of h t Exploration greenhouses and nurseries on their way and Introduction has to re~earctters and nurserymen - undertaken well over 200 the Glenn Date station func- plant hunting expeditions, t imed as kind of an "Ellis and rm regton of the [ 1 lshnd" f o r plants. ear& where indigenous One of my first respon- crop plants mist has

sibilities was to spend two been overlooked. days each week at the Glenn

In conjunction with Dale station to oversee plant the collecting of plants by distribution and to conduct the USDA, there must be propagation reseerch. Among facilities to receive the plann being held in introductions, document CREECH A N D CO L LEC T IN G TEAM quarantine when I strived them, inspect them for pests, YAKUSHIMA. IAPAN. 1956 at Glenn Dale was B bonsai and finally to grow the great specimen f either cherry or

appk) that had been presented to a high-ranking U.S. admiral by his Japanese counterpart after World War [I. I t had been in quarantine for about two years under the care of a longtime greenhouse anendant who was an expert at grafting and other mechods of propagation. His main goal was to grow plants to perfection before their release, and he took particular pride in this accomplishment. When the day came to release the bonsai, a young naval ai& to the admiral

came to collect the admiral's plant. It was wheeled out in its diminutive form tn fine condition but sporting a new stout branch about four feet high. The proud caretaker commented, "I guess I showed them how to grow a plant properly!" He was actually noc fat from the truth because bonsai speciahts often allow a vigorous shoot to grow as a way to rehabditace a weakened specimen. So much for bonsai in quarantine at that time.

BONSAI A N D P E N l l N G IN THE U . S . B E F O R E THE B I C E N T E N N I A L '

P RlOR TO THE ENFORCEMENT OF sold to HRH The Princess of Wales. It is likeIy stringent plant quarantine regulations in that many wealthy American visitors returned 1919, plants entered the United States with from Japan with a bonsai or two, but only a few few quarantine safeguards and soil was permitted. survived or were trained properly. This included bonsai-or "dwarf trees for table Perhaps the most successful introduction decorations" as one Japanese exporter described

of bonsai into the United States during the early them. Japanese bonsai were frequently displayed 1900s was by our Ambassador to japan, Larz at national exhibitions but they were often

. . Anderson, who was interested in all Japanese art regarded as curiosities. forms. When Anderson returned from Japan in

The famous Boehmer nursery and exporting 1913, he brought at least 40 bonsai to Weld, his firm that exlsted in Yokohama between 1882 estate near Boston, Massachusetts, from Yokohama and 1908 advertised bonsai in their "original Nursery, the renowned Japanese successor to pats" for thee to fifty yen, according to shape, L. Boehmer & Company. His collection was later age and general attractiveness. There is a sketch donated to the Arnold Arboretum where it may in the 1899 catalog of a dwarf maple that was be seen in fewer numbers t0day.l

'AR in-depth description of how the art of b o n d and peafin6 was introduced In the Wcst is being wrltten by Dr. Thomas S. Ellas. the present Director of ihc U.S. National Arboretum. R Is schedtllcd to be published in 2002. 'This hlsloric h a d event is wel-documented by Dr. Peter Del Tredici in the Summer 19 89 Sue of the Arnold Arboretum mirgarine. ArnoMi. md Cot bnnsai growers it k well worth reading.

After the plant quarantine regutations went inro effect in 19 19, the importation of bonsai into the United States became much more difficult. In 1960, when Dr. George Avery, Director of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, began to acquire new bonsai from Japan to add to the collection which was started in 1925, trees were bare-rooted and fumigated before release to the garden. This treatment almost always killed the plants.

Fot a time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed to house some of the new bonsai acquired by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in quarantine at the Glenn Dale station. Later on, bonsai were allowed to go directly into pat-entry quarantine at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, as long as they were free of insects and disease.

One such bonsai that the Brooklyn Botanic Garden acquired from Japan was a famous 900- year-old juniper called 'Fudo,' which had been purchased in 1969 at considerable expense

$15,000) by a private donor. The soil had to be removed and the tree was fumigated to meet quarantine requirements. Unfortunately, the tree &ed as a tesutt of the sevete cornbind treatment. The tree's death sent shock waves through the Japanese bonsai community and demonstrated that it was fruitless to introduce bare-root conifer bonsai. The skeletal remains of 'Fudo' are still preserved at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for posterity, but this sad event almost caused the Japanese Government to oppose the Bicentennial gift of bonsai.

The art of bonsai continued to be obscure in the United States until after the military occupation of Japan in 1945. Many of the U.S. military personnel, akin to the ancient Japanese samurai, began to acquire a tasre for Japanese arts- especially bonsai. Although they were unable to bring plants home because of the quarantine laws, they did have rhe opportunity to meet many of the Japanese bonsai masters. On returning home, they fell in with the few bonsai clubs that had formed in various parts of the country, particularly California, Hawaii, New York, and W~shington, D.C. They purchased seedhgs and deformed plants that nurserymen would have discarded, or acquired trained plants from Japanese bonsai artists. We owe much to these early bonsai enthusiasts for expanding American interest in this enduring art of Japan.

Regarding the Chinese art of penjing, as stylized dwarf trees are known in chat country, even fewer collections existed in the United States. I saw my first penjing in 1974 when I visited the People's Republic of China 0s a member of the first National Academy of Sciences Plant Studies Delegation to China after Workl War 11. There I was invited to the Lung-hua nursery near Shanghai where trees, shrubs and flowers were grown for schools, public buildings and street plantings. However, the Lung-hua nursery is noted chiefly for its collection of several hundred ancient specimens of penjing, and as a training school for propagation, training and culture of dwarf plants.

During this same visit, I had an opportunity to see the famow bansai,/penjing collection of Dr. Yee-Sun Wu in Hong Kong, which was arranged by Chionel John Hinds (USAF), a prominent American b i enthusiast. The difference h artistic styk between the Japanese and Clutaese approach was striking- the Chinese style seemed strong a d scmt in character as opposed to ehe more graceful and reflective style of the lapanese. The reluctance of the Chinese to permit plants regarded as nerional treasures to be exported, particularly without soil, meant rhat no penjing entered t he United States for decades, except for the coilectian of several small pen~ing that were presented to Prebident Nixon at the time of his historic visit to China in 1972.

UntiI the Bicentennial in 1976, mainly private clubs and amateur growers had advanced h e art d bonsai in the United States. Except for the Brooklyn Soranic Garden and the Amold &boreturn, public institutions were rrl~cant to develop bonsai collections. This ww due to the lack of trained curators to maintain boluai as well as the cost af the plants relative to a fairly limited audience. Today, on h e other hand, many arboreta have both a Japanese garden and a flourishing bonsai collection. These 'rrastimrim have became the support facilities for the many bonsai organizations that have spun# up around the country, and the art has now acquired an international stature.

PLANT H U N T I N G IN I A P A N

1955 EXPEDITION- In the My Introduction into the 19%, jepan waa still ncover- ing From WorId War I[ and many bnsai nuseries thar had su- t~ mrd~maintnin their ~ 0 l l ~ i o w ~ ~ U t LtK war were ail1 impverbhtd. But k y c m h d m glow and tnio h i with the expemrbn chat better rimes were coming. Licrle did they know at tht time that bonsai would became such a popular intmdmal art h.

COLLECTING ADZUMA MOUNTAINS. IAPAN

great game of plant hunting was to spend eight months as a

USDA plant exp10t.t~ in Japan in 1955. During that period, I was directed to collect samples of soybeans,

rice, fruits, vegetables, and even a rare banana

species (Musa bukiuensis) native to Okinawa, and to

search for ptants to be used in pharmaceuticaf research.

The surprising bonus was that

I was also authorized to collect ornamental plants. japan is a treasure house of wild species that are exceptional landscape ornamentals, and Japanese nurserymen have selected and improved them over the past 10 centuries. Because there had been no serious collecting of ornamentals in Japan since Ernest Wilson of the Arnold Arboretum cdleeted widely in Japan in the years before 1920,I had a gold mine opened to me.

Unlike ordinary governmental travelers, USDA plant explorers were given broad authoriza- tion to expend funds. This included hiring conveyances of aH kinds (mules, carts, boats, etc.), purchasing necessary equipment, retaining guides and porters, and conducting all activities essential to complete the field work. Of course, all such expenditures had to be accounted for, and it must have caused the auditors considerable concern when they received payment vouchers with a thumbprint instead of a signature!

During this first year spent in Japan, I was able to collect over 800 individual lots of seeds, cuttings, and small plants that I would regularly ship back home through diplomatic and military air Facilities. These collections were packed in sterile sphagnum moss and were flown directly to Washington D.C., where they were inspected at the Plant Quarantine Inspection House and sent immediately to the Glenn Dale station. Thus, the time frame from collecting to greenhouse was only a matter of a few days- in sharp contrast to the months that had been required in earlier days

when shipments went by sea.

During this 1955 exploration trip, I also became acquainted with bonsai culture in Japan, particularly azaleas x these were grown by specialists who were solely interested in the large-flowering satsuki azaleas. The Japanese grew these gorgeous azaleas as potted plants, training them inco fantastic shapes. Other gcawers concen- trated on the so-called $malt-flowered Kurume azaleas for bonsai. Because aakas are easy to ship barearooted, 1 acquired and shlpped back to the United States quite a number of the leading varieties as potential garden plants. Many of these introductions are xi11 in cultivation today.

One of my most constant companions during my 1955 trip to Japan was the distinguished horticulturist Kaname Kato (no relation to Saburo Kato, current Chairman of the Nippon b n s a i Association), who took me to countkss Japanese nurseries and botanic gardens. He introduced me tr, many of the most outstanding examples of Japanese horticulture, particularly the fantastic array of azaleas, camellias, and a rich assortment of ornamental plants held in private collections. During train rides and evenings in small inns, Kaname Kato would describe the virtues of leading azaleas and take me to obscure growers of rare plants whom I otherwise would never have known. We became fast friends, and over the ensuing years we collaborated on the preparation of A Brocade Pillow, the English version of Kfnshu Makura, a treatise on azaleas written in Japanese in 1692.

It was Kaname Kato who took me to the USDA plant explorer, and believed that omamen- Yoshimura family bonsai nursery, Kofu-En, where tal plants deserved equal treatment with other f met Yuji Yoshimura for the first time. I later economic crops. When this joint program was cstablLfihed a f i e relationship with Dr. George Avety of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, due to our mutual interest: in japaness horticulture. Then, I assisted with his efforts to bring bonsai from Japan, and he would invite me to visit the BrooHyn Botanic Garden on occasion to deliver lectures about my phnt collecting experiences in Asia. Through this relationship I was able to add my recommendation that Yuji Yoshimura be employed to teach the att of bonsai at the Brooklyn Boanic Garden.

Little did I realize in chose early years that my acquaintance with Kanarne Kato and Yuji Yoshirnura wauid play such an important

finally terminated tn 1972, thirteen ornamental expeditions to various parts of the world had been undertaken.

My 1956 expedition emphasized southern Japan because of the extensive array of broad- leaved evergreen species in many interesting locaiities that had not been visited for decades. One of our goals was to explore the remote island ot Yakushima, some 90 miles south of Kyushu. Yakushima is home to some t ,200 species, found in higher elevations, including wild camellias, azaleas, hollies, and other plants of cansidetable

interest in the United States. Ernest Wilson visited this island in 1914, and consid-

role in the: events that culminated in cred it to be a plantsman's paradise. the Bicentennial bonsai collection. Jf-\ On its highest peak, 1956 EXPEDITION - Miyanoundake (6,348 ft. I returned to Japan in the fall d b elevation), colonies of the of 1956 under a new plant collecting program financed jointty by Longwood Gardens tn Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. Thh time the

I mission was strictly co collect ornamental plants for the American nursery industry. Dr. Russell I. Seibert, Director of

I Lonpood Gardens, was a former

imparcant Rhododedron yakwimanum flourish. It was

A on Yakushima, along a boulder- strewn stream, that I collected

+ seeds of the rare Lgerstroernia &% fauriei, a crape myrtle that

was &tined to be the source of powdery mildew resistance in all of the modem hybrids developed by the \ate Dr. Donald R. Egolf of the U.S.

National Arboretum. hme pxmdiy. Meny The cultivar 'Natchez,' plant c~tkctm p& a superb white-flowered his appmb a+ a mr- tree developed by Egol(, ante b r rheirp-tcbus is now the most widely I C carga will atrive home cultivated crape myrtle d y . b - s p k k - t y p because of its diseade chr- that 1 resistance and handsome b r q h t M, Tokpo

~~~~~~ BONSAI cinnamon-cob bark- both Whitt', was & to have characteristics drawn from g r a d ww $1 million hzgersnomio fou~iei. in the nursery indusvy d c l n q ia several years

The season also coincided with the gnat of popularity.

autumn chrysanthemum exhibitions where 1 was l96i EXPEDITION- 1 returned co Japan in 1961 introduced to chrysanthemum bonsai. These co continue explotation, this tifie in central popular exhibitions also featured large tubs of and northern Japan. Stthw irriptbucd hardiness, individual plants trained in precise pytamida14 form this trip focused on the tlimhrn mnge of with as many as a 1,000 large ball-type flowers, w distribution for both wLld and garden f m of well as cascade displays reaching to seven feet and our leading nursery specla, Ihthdhg azaleas, striking displays of historic figures dressed in live camellias, hollies, other b d - l e a v e d plants and chrysanthemums. Gtowrs from each exhibition conifers. Onc i q r t a h t ptmt we d i s m v d assembled cuttings of the most highly recornmad- was the northern farm of junipm conferta, ed chrysanthemum varieties, and I arranged to the shore juniper ch~ I named 'Emerald Sea.' pick them up in late December to carry them

THE IDEA OF A BICENTENNLAL GIFT OF BONSAI

POTOh4AC BONSAL ASSOCIATION community. What triggered my interest was a 1973 SPRlNG SHOW

meeting with members of the Potomac Bonsai It was not until I became Director of the U.S. Association during their 1973 spring show held National Arboretum in 1973 that 1 gave serious a t the U.S. National Arboretum. thought to the possibilities that could resuit from In the spring of 1973, the Deparuncnt my earlier encounters with the Japanese bonsai of Agriculture requested its various units to

submit proposals for a Bicentennial program. I felt that the National Arboretum in our nation's capitol would be a splendid site for an educational display of the wealth of America's agricultural crops, including ornamentals in a series of demonstration exhibits. This was to be an elaborate project with several permanent features, including a National Bonsai Garden because the art was gaining popularity across the country, and a National Herb Garden displaying medicinal, culinary, dye, fragrance and related piants. It was my hope was that national plant societies would hold their meetings at the National Arboretum during the Bicentennial year.

This was an overly ambitious project but the various local plant clubs and societies that used the Arboretum were quite willing to support the idea. Because Congress had not funded a significant Department of Agriculture celebration in the Bicentennial, the Arboretum proposal went nowhere, and I was left to my own devices as to how the Nationat Arboretum would participate in the festivities for our natton's 200th birthday.

At the 1973 spring show of the Potmac Bonsai Association (PBA) at the National Arboretum, I discussed wich John Hinds the possibility of obtaining a small collection of bonsai from friends in japan for exhibition at the Arboretum. But how would we get the plants here safely? John suggested that the

Air Force might be persuaded EO fly the plants from Japan since they had regular cargo flights that often returned empty or with partial loads. Other members of PBA quickly gave their whole- hearted support to my idea of a possible bonsai collection at the Arboretum. But still, there were many problems to be solved.

USDA APPROVAL TO lMPORT BONSAI 'WITH SOIL"

As a first step, I approached Ivan Rainwater of the USDA plant quarantine agency to see if it would be possible to bring in a collection of bonsai in soil from Japan. There were many genera that were prohibited from entry (includ- ing cherry and apple) and, of course, the first answer was "no soil." Our quarantine officials had not forgotten the disastrous importation of cherry trees in 1910 that were so badly infested with unwelcome pests that 2,000 trees had to be burned within sight of the Washington Monument.

However, Rainwater had been the quaran- tine officer in Hawaii when I went there in 1962 to visit the botanic gardens and we had become good friends. Fortunately, he had been transferred to the plant quarantine facility in Hyattsville, Maryland. He gave me approval to go ahead, with my assurance that the plants would go into detention in the quarantine houses at Glenn Dale for a year and be subject to rigorous periodic inspection for possibie insects in the soil or

diseases. This USDA approval to import bonsai with their soil was an exceptional departure from quarantine regulations. Nevertheless, it seemed to be a small risk because we agreed at the time that the bonsai would not leave the Arbott~um once they were released from quarantine.

NIPPON BONSAI ASSOCIATION'S FAVORABLE REPLY

With this concession, I wrote to Kaname Kato on May 11, 1973, and asked whether, in light of the celebration of our 200th anniversary of the United States in 1976, he thought it would be ~ossible for the Government of Japan or some representative organization to make

Kaco's letter. He gave his approval to go ahead, and assured me that, if the plan were successful, we could build a viewing pavilion a t the U.S. National Arboretum.

In early June 1973, Kaname Kato met with the Directors of the N ippon Bonsai Association (NBA) at the Satsaki (azalea) bonsai show. The NBA Directors agreed to accept my request, stating that we "wil l be glad to send bonsai to your arboretum to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the United States." From then on, my main contact with NBA was Nabukichi Koidt, President and Director of NBA.

At this point, I could cmly a presentation of a bonsai coliection maintain my composure by reminding as a symbol of our mutual admiration for living plants. I added that I needed some assurance before I broached the subject with

myself that my predecessor, David Fairchild, had found himself pretty much in the same boat, working both ends from the middle

Mr. Talcott Edminster, our Agricultural when he acquired the flowering cherries that Research Service Administrator. Mr. Edminster grace the Tida\ Basin in Washington, D.C. was a loyal supporter of the Arboretum and always interested in our plans. SUPPORT FROM ABS AND BCI

Other than the members of the PBA, particularly Back came a letter from Kaname Kato John Minds and Jim Newton, the American

stating that the President of the Nippon Bonsai bonsai world was unaware of our plans to bring Association, Mr. Nobusuke Kishi (a former a bonsai collection to the National Arboretum. Prime Minister), was personally very agreeable Fortuitously, both the American Bonsai Society

and witling to explore the idea. I approached and Bonsai Clubs International were to meet Mr. Edminster informally and showed him

for a joint Bonsai Congress in July 1973 in relatianships with our Embassy staff in japan Atianta, Georgia. John Hinds spoke to the during my several visits, and explained the preside- of the rwo societies and the Congress benefits to U.S./Japan relations if we were to chairman, and they btocked out 10 minutes at succeed in this endeavor. Hume was enthusiastic the main banquet so 1 could put forth the about the project and expressed his support. concept of a National Bonsai Center at the U.S. National Arboretum. Among those attending the Congress was Yuji Yoshimura, who had expressed earlier his dream that the

LOGlSTlCAL OBSTACLES

With the USDA and the American bonsai societies on board, it was now time to turn

richest nation in the world s h l d have a National Bonsai Collection.

Following my presentation to the Congress, some members of the audience were skeptical aboua the realistic possibilities of a National Bonsai Collection. After all, since neither the Arboretum staff nor 1 had any experience with bonsai, how wouid we manage such a bonsai collection? Nevertheless, both Dorothy Young, President of the American Bonsai Society, and Beverly Oliver, President of Bonsai Clubs Enternati~na!, signed a resolution

attention to the logistics of the plan. Mr. Edminster, the ARS Administrator, told me that there would be only limited funds to construct a bonsai pavilion to house the collection. There was a dollar Limit on construction without congressional approval, and he could not go to Congress to obtain a special appropriation because of higher departmental prtorities. Nevertheless, I was quite happy to work within the funding Limitations he could make available.

I was now able to advise the State dated July 2 1, 1973, extending wholehearted Department that plans for a major bonsai gift suppart for the establishment of a National from Japan in commemoration of the Bonsai Collection at the National Arboretum. Bicentennial were progressing rapidly. John

I This action was an important step since Hinds, firn Newton and 1 met with the Cultural I was then able to advise my Japanese colleague, Af(airs staff a t the State Department to explain Kaname Kate, of the support of both the lead- that, while we had assurances that the bonsai ing bonsai societies in the United States as well gift from Japan was a reality, there still was the as of Yuji Yoshimura. I also informed our matter of transporting the plants from japan Agricultural Artachi at the American Embassy safely. We expressed our hope that the

1 in Tokyo, David Hume, of my intentions and Department of Defense might be persuaded to I

the status of our plans. I had developed good provide space on their cargo flights from Japan.

Hinds, now the hrector of Communi ty Relations for the Air Force, was in a position to exert his influence. in October 1973, he drafted a memorandum to the Assistant Secretary of Defense and recommended that the project be given serious consideration on the basis that it would help our relations with Japan considerably. In response to Hinds' memorandum, I received a letter from the Department of Defense asking for a specific request. With approval from my own agency, I wrote to the Dcpury Assistant Secretary of Defense, outlining our needs, justification, and everything else I could chink of to convince him of che significance of the gift. The rqonse was not at all encouraging. Qutscions were raised about using defense resources for non- defense traffic, about obtaining certification that commercial transportation ww unavailable and other similar roadblocks. But the Ecrter did state that, when the specific request was made, possible exceptions to governing restraints would be considered.

A VISIT WITH HENRY HOHMAN

A great b o a t for the project came in September 1873 when I learned that Yuji Yoshimura was to put on a demonstration of bonsai training at the Brooksi& Gardens, Wheaton, Maryland. This provided an opportunity to solidify Yuj i's support for having a National Bonsai Collection a t the National

Arboretum, a place he had never visited. So 1 penuaded him to come to the National Arboretum to discuss the bonsai matter and perhaps give a demonstration. Yuji agreed and indicated he wanted to use a japan- boxwood for this program. I knew just the place to find the right specimen.

Henry Hohman was the owner of Kingsville Nursery, KingsviUe, Maryland, and one of those early planmen who really knew plants. I first met Henry in 1947 because his nursery was one that received and tested plant introductions chat the USDA distributed regu- larly. He could be a difficult charactel and was reluctant to deal with those who were not wri- ous plants people. Among the many introduc- tions Henry evaluated, he was particularly interested in broad-leaved evergreens and had an extensive callection of the Japanese box- wood (Buxus sempervirens ).

It was out of Henry's boxwood collection that the popular 'Kingsville Dwarf' cultivar was selected. Some of these were astonishingly aged specimens, probably up to 50 years old.

arranged for a visit to Kinpvilie Nursery with Yuji to see what we could find. Bonsai artists Marion Gyllenswan, John Hinds, f im Newton and Clifford Pottberg came along.

At this time, Henry was desperately ill with cancer and was generally not receiving visitors to the nursery. But he gracious!y made

an exception for us. After a general tour of the nursery,

continued to propagate the material and sometimes

Yuji began to inspect various sold specimens to wealthy box plants but none estate owners who used satisfied him. Finally, them as dwarf hedge Henry said he had material in the ir some special plants formal gardens. around his residence After a sad and asked if Yuji

F' farewell, since Henry woukl iike to see m: was in comiderable them. There Yuji pain, we returned to found a beauthl, MASTER YOSHIMURA

WITH WERIAL P IN E Washington. That compact plant which was

evening at Brookside just what he wanted, and Henry Gardens, Yuji entertained a small audi- promptly had it dug and burlapped. This

ence with his masterful technques. Hc could be plant was a propagation of one of the originat

an amusing character, and began his pruning on Kingsville dwarf box pknts that Henry had

this welt-branched pbnt by asking the audience: obtained in 1923.

"Shouid I clip this branch? Or, how about this John Hinds had researched the origin one!" By the time he had reduced the boxwood

of the Kingsville dwarf boxwood. It was to practically a skeleton, me elderly lady in h e : discovered In 191 3 as a sport by MT. Sam audience exclaimed, "Oh beat. He's killing the

, I Appleby, who lived a few miles north of plant!" But, of course, he really was just estaba Kingsvilte. Mr. Appleby nurtured the sport lishing the basic structure for the future rraining and by 1923 had LO plants. He died in 1923, of the boxwood as a bonsai. which was the same year that Henry established From then on, it was Bob Drechsier who hu nursery. Henry knew about the 10 little

cared for this first one of the many bonsai to go "kings" and acquited them that same year. He into the American collection at the National was aware t ha t these extremely dwarf plants

~ r b o r e t i m . After this demonstration, Yuji would never be cost-effective nursery stock-

seemed more convinced than ever that we could they were too slow growing and the stems were

succeed in obtaining a Bicentennial gift of too brittle. Despite these drawbacks, Henry bonsai from the Japanese.

- 1 - 1 w

. 5 - 4

COLONEL HINDS BECOMES A BONSAI DIPLOMAT

As 1973 came to a close, I continued exchanging letters with my friend, Kaname Kato, and with Mr. Koide of the Nippon Bonsai Association to determine what was happening on the Japanese side. Apparently they were appealing to the Japanese Government and the semi-private japan Foundation for financial support. While the NBA was totally behind the idea of a Bicentennial gift of bonsai to the United States, I was advised that it was too fate for the project to be included in the government's 1973 budget, but there was hope that it would be included in the 1974 budget. 1 had, of course,

optimistic that transport woukd be available, knowing that planes often came back from Japan with little or no cargo. E was not SO certain, but there was no turning hack. John decided to take the transportation matter to Air Force Lieutenant General Maurice Casey, who was the mow senior logistics dficer in the Department of Ilktense. General Casty was

on the staff of the laint Chiefs af Smif where he was

0.c Cmw hnid#mi

C d Tuns Bonsai Diplomat

STA :==%z---=

IPES 4m already convinced my . E . 7 ; ., , . 8 -

own administration that we were going to receive a bonsai cotlection and that we should go forward with our plans for a pavilion to house the plants.

It was also unsettling that, in early 1974, we still had no answer on the use of an Air Force aircraft. John Hinds, however, remained

the "final word" on such logistics mattets. Col. Hinds had known the general for a numbet of years, and they had a good working rela~ianship.

Casey told Hinds that he appreciated the p u b k relations benefit to the Air Force if that service flew the trees from japan. He w a concetned, hwever, that if the Air Force strrpped the

- .

. . .

trees, the cornmetcial airlines might lodge a complaint with

Congress. At chat time, the airlines were still up against high fuel casts caused by the 1973 energy crunch and wanted to maximize the use of their airplanes to increase revenue. Still, everyone hoped that the American Embassy in Japan would use its powers of persuasion in Washington to further our cause.

In February 1974, our stalwart supporter, Hinds, arranged to go to japan for a major bonsai exhibit. He carried credentials from the American bonsai societies to speak on behalf of the bonsai project. I wrote our Agricultural Attache in Tokyo alerting him to John's visit. Dorothy Young also went to Japan lor the bonsai exhibition and spoke eloquently at the meeting about our plans. Yuji had written to his brother, Kanekazu Ymhimura, explaining that Hinds was corning to Tokyo to help emphasize the sincerity of the United States' pasition in moving forward with the bonsai project. The younger Yoshimura took Hinds in tow for the entire week of the Ueno Park bonsai exhibition, introducing him to the Nippon Bonsai Association officials and senior bonsai owners.

As it happened, John was acquainted with the senior editor of the U.S. miIitary newspaper, b r s and Stripes, which had its head office in Tokyo, and the editcx agreed to assign a rq~rter l~hotographer team to explore a story about his mission. John told Kanekazu Yoshimura that there was the possibility of a feature story about the mission, including photographs of bonsai personalities at the exhibition. Within hours, Yoshimura had per- mission from the Nippon Bonsai Association

eo mke photographs at the exhibition, and two or three days later a photqrapher/reporter team was p ~ s i n g Hinds and Yoshimura next to a 250-year-dd juniper. NBA's granting of permission to da tha sort of thing represented a rare and generaus gesture, for traditionally they strictly enforced a "no photography" policy during their exhibitions. Before he left Japan, the Stars and Strim printed a feature story headlined "Colonrl Turns Bonsai Diplomat."

On his way home, John stopped in Hong Kong to meet with Dr. Yee-Sun Wu, a prominent Chinese banker and owner of a famous penjing collection. He had advised Dr. Wu much earlier about our plans for a national collection at the National Arboretum, including the concept of having Japanese, Chinese and American trees. Whtle Wu was impressed with the concept, he hoped that the collection would be located in California.'

On their return, both John and Dorochy reported that the Nippon Bonsai Association was fully committed to assembling a first-class collection of bonsai but that negotiations for funding were moving very slowly. Meanwhile, at the Arboretum I began to work informally with architects on plans for a pavilion but

' ~ r . Wu unbubhdly was concerned about the colder winlers in WasMnglon, D.C. Nevertheless, in 1983, Janet laman wrote to Dr. Wu Lo renew our previous raaucrt that he donate some of Ids penjin8 for display at &he U.S. National Arborctum. and Dr. Wu agreed, rrdizlng that tbe Arboretum would provlck adequate wirkr pmteclion far his trees. In luly 1986. 10 years after the Japanese Bicentennial GNt, the National Arborctum received a coiiedion OC 3 1 penjint from Hang Kmg-24 from Dr. Wu and seven from his catleag~e. Mr. Shu-yin8 Lui.

could go no further until we had the collection secured. I wrote to Mr. Koicte of the Nippon Bonsai Association, assuring him of my complete confidence in his efforts and that he could count on our fulfilling our part of the agreement.

MEETING WITH NBA DIRECTORS IN TOKYO

In August 1974, I was part of the first delegation of biological scientists to go to The PeopIe's Republic of China and had approval from Mr. Edminster to conciude the trip with a stop-over in Tokyo to discuss the bonsai project. Things seemed to be breaking just right because I never would have obtained approval for a trip ta Japan solely for this purpose. I planned to have the artist's sketches of the pavilion to show the Nippon Bonsai Association Directors, hoping that this would impress on them the seriousness of our intentions. In addition, Hinds had writ- ten to Dr. Mu about my trkp and, as a result, I was invited to visit Wu's penjing collection and discuss our plans for a national bonsai and penj ing collection.

While in China, we visited many experimental stations, universities and other research facilities. At one point, I was able to break away to go to the Lung hua Nursery near . Shanghai where I had a chance to see and photograph their fabulous collection of penjing. When we returned to Hong Kong from China, I visited Dr. Wu's impressive rooftop penjing garden, which was displayed under tight

security. While the rest of the dclegaces returfid home, I flew to Japan for my first face-to-face meeting with the Directors of the NBA since we initiated the idea.

Earlier, the USDA had commissioned a n artist to sketch our proposed bonsai pavilion and this sketch was compteted while I was in China so I had no opportunity to see it. It was sent to our Agricultural Attachi in Tokyo and I picked it up just before the meeting. On September 27, 1974,I arrived a t the offices of the Nippan Bonsai Association with my friend Kaname Kato a d faced a group of "gentlemen of Japan," solemn faced, mostly elderly and in a very formal secring around a table. None of &em spoke English to any extent and we conversed through an interpreter, Miss Junko Arima. This young woman handled most of our exchanges over the next several month and exerted quiet but atrong influence on the negotiations.

NOBUKICHL KOIDE, SABURO KATO AND KAZUYA MORiTA

I explained to them the collection and that bonsai the goah of our plan. It was to communicate by the gift of bonsai how the Japanese people appreciate nature through the enduring art of bonsai and to encourage a similar appreciarion of this ancient art by Americans. I described how we planned to construct a pavilion at the Arboretum designed by Sasaki Associates, a famous Japanese- American architectural firm, to house the collection. I laid out the artist's concept of the structure, which I had just seen fot the first time.

specialists like Yuji Yoshirnura and John Naka had expressed their willingness to serve as advisers and to assist in the training and maintenance of the collection.

With the Nippon Bonsai Association Directors' questions seemingly answered to their satisfaction, there were smiles all around, and Mr. Koide spoke for the Directors saying that they would vigorously implore the various Japanese Government agencies tor funding. Then they asked when was the best time to send

After my Japanese friends the collection and how woutd saw the plan, they raised some it be done. We aIt agreed that serious concerns. They asked how the bonsai would flourish in the enclosed environment

the early spring of 1975 would be the best time of year because the trees would bc dormant

shown in the sketch, noting the apparent lack and they would have to remain in quarantine of air movement, sunlight, and similar environ- for a full year prior to the 1976 Bicentennial. mental needs. 1 quickly assured them that this As for transportation, I explained that we were was only a n artist's sketch and we would deal in contact with our Air Force officials and it with rhme problems when the architectural firm went to work.

was most certain that proper arrangements would be made for the safe journey to the United States. At this point it would have Their main concern, of course, was to been improper to give a more definite answer be sure that the precious bonsai would receive and they seemed satisfied. I atso assured them proper care at the Arboretum. To chis question, that the soil in the bonsai containers would I said we would a ~ ~ o i n t a trained curator for not in any way be disturbed. This was an

important point because they were aware that in ptevious shipments of plants the soil had been removed and they knew this was fatal to the bonsai.

So 1 departed with their pledge ringing in my ears thac they would work earnestly to acquire the best bonsai. I, in turn, assured them that I would work equally hard to create a suit- able home for these "children of Japan" at the National Arboretum. Before he departed, Mr. Koide mentioned that there would likely be a problem in choosing candidate plants. With so many famous bonsai growers, it was important that a great deal of diplomacy be used in the final selection. As it turned out, several former Prime Ministers as well as other high officials of the japanese Government would be listed as the donors of bonsai.

I Later found out that the death of 'Fudo,' the large juniper whose soil had been removed when it had been imported by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden from Japan, had apparently caused the Japanese. Minisery of Foreip Ahus to initially oppode my request for a gifr of living trees because Ministry officials .haugh eht trees would dit. Thk neeative

w

position was -ceumtd after

the Ministry realized that the bonsai to be given as a Bicentennial gift could be imported into the United States with their soil intact.

Saburo Kato, who t d a y is the Chairman of the Nippon Bonsai Association and h e most respected bonsai master in lapan, was working behind the sccnc in those fateful early days. I later learned that Mr. Kato was instrumental in arguing our case before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was able to convince Ministry officials that the bonsai for the Bicentennial gift would flourish in the United States, not only because rhey would be import- ed wirh their soil, but also because the NBA would show us how to care for the bonsai.'

CHOOSING THE FIRST BONSAI CURATOR

[ returned home and reported the considerable degree of success in my mission to Mr. Edminster and to the bonsai societies. Up to this point we

had not given serious considera- tion to selecting an Arboretum

BOB DRECHSLEA AND FIRST LADY KOSALYNN CARTER

staff member to become the curator ~f the collectim. Our senior horticulturist at che Arborerum, Sylvester "Skip" March, informed me that o n . of our senior ttchni- cians, Robett Drechsler, would like to be considered

for the position.

'True l a hls word. over the p a t 25 years Sdburo Kata and other N8A Directors have made numcrcrus trips to Washington D.C.. to check on khe Japanese bonsai collection. Forlunrlcly. Mr. b t o and his cdtcrgues have been pleased with the care given to [he lapanest bonsai by Bob Drcchder and others, including the present Curator o i Bonsai. Warren Hill.

24

Bob was, without question, the right presented to President Richard Nixon during person for the job. He had worked for many his visit to China. Thus, Bob was temporarily years under the strict leadership of our renowned assigned the role of bonsai curator so that he plant breeder Donald Egolf, and "discipline" was could be prepared for the maintenance of the Don's middle name. Bob was not only a well- colfection when it arrived at Glenn Dale. The trained horticulturist but had even been caring year 1974 ended with everyone still awaiting for the small collection of penjing that had been the word that the Japanese collection was a fact.

T H E G I F T T A K E S S H A P E

NBA SELECTS BONSAI AND SUISEKI GIFTS the Imperial Household Agency collection and

On January 30, 1975, Koide-san wrote that one each from Prince Takamawu and Princess the Japanese Government had Chichibu. In all, there would funded the project. "Now," he said, "we must move quickly to begin collecting bonsai from all over Japan so they may be sent by the end of March." A team from the Nippon Bonsai Associ- ation was then visiting bonsai growers throughout Japan to select the trees to be sent.

Fifty trees would be select- ed by the NBA-one for each of the American states. The tree selections were intended to express the broad range of plants that were cultivated as bonsai, as well as those of a venerable age and interesting

I habit. In addition, the gift

be 53 bonsai.

In addition, six selected viewing stones (suiseki) would be sent as an additional gift. The art of suiseki is an impor- tant element of bonsai displays. Suiseki are aesthettcally pleas- ing stones that have been shaped over centuries by water torrents or other natural causes. They may be small enough to hold in one hand or so large that they require more than one person to lift them. They may have irregular-white quartz veins running through black basalt to suggest a gushing mountain stream. They may

I would include a bonsai from resemble volcanic peaks or

even a remote island rising earlier and now it was clear tha from a sandy beach. he would play a significant rolt

in coming events. One of the m a t sought after suiseki is the "chrysanthemum Thornasson cabled stone" calkd kikkascki. Mineral Gom o u r Tokyo Ernbsy crystals formed an h e Face of

. - that he had met with repre-

the stone resemble en open chrysanAemurn flower. This is

sentarives of the Nippon Bonsai h a c i a t i o n md that

of great srgnificance to the PACK~NG CHRYSANTHEMUM they were mking final STONE FOR SHtPMENT Japanese es the chtysanthemum arrangements fbr outstanding

is the crest of the Imperial Family. bonsai candidates from all over Mr. Kiyoshi Yanagwawa donated the chpaanthe- Japan. H e abo said that a form1 presentation mum stone presented to us. le was one of t w ~ ceremony in Tokyo w a bcmg planned for such stones that he regarded as "husbmd and March 20, 1975, and that it was important for wife." Hc said that while he was sad to be me or others from the Arbreturn to attend the separating them, he was proud that the "wife" ceremony and Ay back ta the U.S. with the would be happy in America.

A DTSAPPOINTING RESPONSE FROM THE PENTAGON

The ball was now in our court. U p to this point, I had pretty much been taking the lead, keeping Talcott Edminster and other officials well informed. Our plant quarantine officer, Ivan Rainwater, approved the list of species to be imported, and our Agricultural Attache in Tokyo, Larry Thomasson, who would be our contact with the NBA, were also advised of the progress. I had brought the National Arb&eturn's chief horticulturist, Skip March, into the picture

plants. Our most critical question at this juncture was whether [he Air Force lnrrnded to transport the bonsai collect ion.

On February 27,197 5 , our Defense Attach6 in Tokyo cabled the Sectemry of Defense requesting that transportation be authorized to transport the bonsai from Yobra Air Base to Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington.' He pointed ouc the extent of interest by the Japanese Government in the donation to our Bicentennial, the estimated value of the collection ($5 milfion), and our awn Embassy's strong endorsement of the request. But the

$When hced with a simhr situallon during he 19th Century. our Navy was vcry accommodating when it cam lo btwng pIantc horn f d g n shores. All wval vessels werc instructed to gathcr d bring hum new plants horn ports d cd. In 1853. b e ouidtrcd its saillag ship the U.S.S. Rekase, spedfically to Lmel La South Amefica to cokct cuttings of sugar cane and she brought back I .bOt) caxs to New &learn.

Defense Department finally turned down the request, despite vigorous pleas from out Defense Attach6. To my way of thinking, the Pentagon erred in judgment because having the Air Force transport the bonsai would have gone a Long ways towards improving the status of our military in Japan.

A PAN AM PURCHASE ORDER

Until this moment, 1 had not had the courage to tell our Japanese friends that transportation was in dire peril. Fortunately, after the Air Force declined our request to fty the bonsai to their new home, the USDA issued a purchase order to Pan American Airlines to transport the bonsai from Japan. lo reality, Pan American Airlines was a more experienced carrier in handling such unusual shipments.

The estimated cost of the purchase order ($2,340) seemed unrealistic but it was a n encouraging start. We had no estimate of the size of the individual trees or the manner of packing. Further, we had no plans as to who would accompany the trees and certainty were not aware of the many official requirements that would be faced. We were to learn that one just doesn't fly off with a valuable coltection iike this,,particularly when the Imperial Household is involved.

Then another problem arose. The Japanese side and the American Embassy wanted me to attend the presentation ceremony on March 20.

But my agency had a system of approved travel plans and if your plan was not on the list there was no chance to be included. The only solution was a strange one. Skip March had access to employee dependent travel because his wile was an airline employee. We decided that he would fly to Japan in my place at no cost to the U.S. Government. I so advised tlnt Nippon Bonsai Association and the American Embassy that March would attend the ceremony on behalf of the National Arboretum. O u r good friend, Dr. Frank Cullinan, the former Chief of the VSDA1s Bureau of Plant and Industry and then a trustee d The Friends of the National Arboretum, agreed to pick up Skip's other expenses since the trip could not be funded by the agency.

1 sent Mr. EAminster copies of the various letters about the ceremony and, all of a sudden, 1 was advised that the Agricultural Research Service was authorizing my travel. I immediately cabled our Embassy in Japan. Skip would still accompany me on the same financial arrange- ment as described above. We intended to return on the flight bringing the bonsai treasures to their new home. Without Skip's help, it would have been a most traumatic experience for me because there were so many details to be worked out in Japan.

ANNOUNCING THE GIFT

Meanwhiie plans for announcing the gift went forward-the ceremony would take place at the fabulous Hotel New Otani in Tokyo on March

20, 1975. I drafted a letter for Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz to Dr. Henry Kissinger, then head of the National Security Council, describing this remarkable gift in honor of our Bicentennial, and equating it to the gift of flow- ering cherries by the Japanese. The USDA also issued a glowing press release. The American Embassy in Tokyo did its share, advising the Secretary of State of the gift and describing the involvement by both the Japanese Government

and the Imperial HousehoM. Ful press coverage was planned for h e presentation by former Prime Minister Nobusuke Krshi, the acceptance by Ambassador James D. Hodgson and my brief remarks. The ceremony in Japan was to b t a major diplomatic affair. I thought it might be appropriate to present the Japanese with the silver Bicentennial Commissim medal that Congress had authorized, and I persuaded die Commission to give me one to cake to Japan.

B R l N G l N G THE GIFT TO THE UNlTED STATES

CEREMONY lN TOKYO

By early 197 5, preparations were completed to receive the bonsai colktion at the Glenn Dale station, where the plants would be placed h ~ o quarantine. Two greenhouse sections had been emptied of other plants, and the benches had been sterilized and filled with clean gravel. Ebb Drechslcr transferred his office from the Arboretum to Glenn Dale.

With everything in readiness, Skip and I took off for Japan arriving on March 19, 1975. Mr. Koide and a delegation of NBA directors, repre-

arrangements with the Air Force had fallen through, Mr. Koide exclaimed after a deep breath, "Saaaaa," which in Japan is a note of serious despair. But 1 quickly said that we had arranged with Pan American Airlines to transport the plants and that this was probably a better idea. Much relieved, Mr. Koide said we must go irnme- diately to the headquarters of the Nippon Bonsai Association to see the grooming of the plants for the grand presentation of the bonsai to the American people on the 20th. Of course with lit- tle sleep, we were not exactly prepared for this.

sentatives of the American Embassy, Miss Junko When Skip and I saw the size of some of the Arima as interpreter, as well as some Japanese bonsai, we were aghast! In the Nippon Bonsai

reporters, met us when PaA Am Fltght 1 arrived at Association's courtyard, on several long tables, Haneda Airport in the late afternoon. After there were the bonsai to be presented-including expressions of congratulations, I was prepared for many very large ones. We were duly impressed Mr. Kdde's first question: Was the Air Force going with the activities and the magnificence of the -to mnsport the plants? When I replied that bonsai, but uppermost in our minds was the ques-

tion of how we were going to stretch $2,300 to pay the cost of shipping. And, where would Pan Am find the space to accommodate such large bonsai safely? That night, neither of us had much sleep, wondering how we were

Bonsai Associatian and the donors of the bonsai. Many from the

foreign community were also included as space permitted.

It was said t a t d u was one of the few occasions when

b, leaders of the opposition

parties of the Diet appeared on the same

stage together. going to resolve these problems. BONSAI IN N ~ A COURTYARD The ceremony opened The next morning, we immediately

promptly on time and the band of spoke to the Pan Am representative,

the Imperial Household performed Mr. Malcdm MacDonald, who said he could

throughout the ceremony. The 50 bonsi and the provide us with a cargo plane to handle the

six precious stones selected by the NBA were bonsai, but made clear that the cost would exceed displayed around the perimeter of the main hall our $2,3Mf budget.

of h e New Otani Hotel. The president of the Meanwhile, the day was spent getting ready

ft3t the festivities that were to take place in the Zif~mOOn of March 20. T h e guest list was most impressive. On the American side, Ambassador Hodgson led the delegation which included all upper level embassy staff, separate U.S. departmmtal agencies, the American Chamber d Commerce, the major newspapers and airline officials. In all the number was about I00 p e r m . There were naturally far more Japanese. Among &em were four brmer Prime Minis!ers, members of the Diet from boch conservative and iiberal parties, departmental heads, representatives of The japan Foundation and, of course, a large delegation consisting of memben of the Nippon

NBA, Mr. Kishi, greeted the audience and Mr. Teisuka Takahashi, Vice-President of the NBA, gave the opening remarks. He described how the bonsai had been selected from a l l four major islands of Japan, that they were "so noble as to reflect the real heart of the Japanese people" and that the bonsai would "serve as a Green Peace Mission to open a new road in the friendly culcural relations between the two nations." Ambassador Hodgson officially accepted the bonsai on behalf of the people of the United States. He assured the Japanese people that we would do our best to preserve, protect and promote their beauty and an understanding of their artistry among our citizens in the coming years. He also likened the gift to

AMBASSADOR HODCSON' A N D F O R M E R P R I M E M I N I S T E R K I S H I

that of the flowering cherries so many years before. I reiterated these viewpoints in my short speech, assuring the Japanese that these enduring symbols of our love of nature will be viewed by millions of American in the years to come.

Ambassador Hodgson then presented the Bicentennial Silver Medal to former Prime Minister Kishi as a token of remembrance of the occasion. The guests then were invited to view the bonsai and of the refreshments. There were several toasts with sake for the well being of the plants in their future home at the U.S. National Arboretum, more informal speeches and then the guests mingled with the plants for the next several hours. "Fabulous" is the only way to describe the presentation, and I could not imagine the cost of the arrangements which were funded by the Japanese Government.

W h ~ l y ahct k cemwnii h e h i were r n u r n t d w the N&9 y d in lrrtp~atlon for pecking* This w an wmmu mk The plants urn s p u d on d&q a$tr lotptepaciom, mdmanymc&rrd t4BAm-m specihc r& b d plt#r~ tkc ~ m i m thac e v q a n e waMBdbgtf8tt kt& p e p m a n d chb imparmr #tft rn & -pspte. First, each plant wa rcpaetud mi& r mhm wil mixme- Japmm,ptaol qsrsMlns c b msric- hiy tmdnrd k k bmai m m ~ . h dxy w d k p P e d m UZq-dw crlhr*lr once they r c a d d ' b tJbd h. T ' k mil 5ur- feet of a h pat w a d 4 h. GI&, d n d a a k g n , e w w , n l t e f w t d h rw arqpd sib w ;W h n g and bound tightly 6 rpc T h t a h l y mpor~r?d borcsai wm chcn with mrd ta hcir p ~ .

Next, the crating began, the cost of which was borne by the Japanese Government. Carpenters constructed individual crates on the spot to meet the size of each individual tree. These were sufficiently large to assure that no

branches would touch the 1 ~ k e d a[ one Cummi' crate and yet would still fit dechration, the value of the through the door of a Pan 53 nws and s k stones waras Am 707 aircraft. An agent listed as Y 1 3 \ , I 00,W. from the airline was there to

W h k &t cmmg m check on this requirement.

going an, we b m d d k h ~ e e These cases were beautifully had been selected to be h a t e d and meticulously crafted,

SKIP MARCH WAPECTING CRATE by rhe Imperial H&M, d consisting of a wooden base we were inviaid rn & p a h e

to which three slatted sides m see the choice. [t was a 1Dyex-otd r d . ~ i e

were attached. There was a false, thin plywood in a Chinese container that was d ~~k

bottom stuffed underneath with shredded foam historic irnpatance. It smd h u t fiw kt CPU

plastic and each plant rested on this, allowing for and required four men rn lift dw pot.

flexibility when the plane landed. The trees were placed in their individual cages and additionally secured with more lashings. After a final inspec- a, how I warld cxpbln m thz Ekp~tmmt tion by the quarantine people, the slatted fourth d Ag~icui~rtt that t;he $2,360 ~ ~ h t i ~ h side and top sections were nailed in place. The had to bc parlayed into a ~aoi&&!~ hp sum. suiseki stones were wrapped in heavy bubhle Each time that k e PAA q p t d d ma rhr price plastic and crated similarly. was ping up, I telephoned tkc Dqarmcnt rind

advisd them, fitst sdmrrhing Likt T h e crating operation

Ir $9,000 and agab a d $13,003. required several days. During P But, when we saw r h d l r h e this time, Skip and I took T-4 ,-: , ; i l5npecap.h bmi ad ~ : e r t l N care of voluminous ~aperwork , 4. + . - ~ h e size af the cnstr it w d d including both Japanese require, 1 threw dl w i m and U.S. Customs' documents,

. "-V k* to the wind. ! sent a letter to export licenses, quarantine Mr. Ehinsttr accepting hU

certificates, and airline -- responstbility for h e o u m n .

manifests. There was even As it turned out the shipment

a document of consignment woutd require an entire 707

from the Imperial Household freighter. I had just rented en

that I had to sign. When I IT--m - S IMPERIAL RED P IN E aircraft h r slightly over $19,000! I '

NBA DIRECTORS W A V I N G FAREWELL

Pan American Airlines was especially gener- ous, and theit agent informed me that t h y were only billing for the c a t to fly the aircraft to the U.S. Still, 1 had bt-oken every rule in the bureau- cratic book and did not know what to expect when I returned home to explain the overrun. Mentally I was prepared for the worst.

FLIGHT HOME

With all trees crated, we were ready to fly home on March 31, 1975. The crated bonsai were loaded in seven tmcks and lined up at the NBA head- quarters. The NBA Directors stood in a small group and, as the last truck rounded the corner, they became very quiet. I remember to this day their touching waves of goodbye to their precious children. This was a shlernn moment for them as they were very anxious about the future of their magnificent bonsai.

It was late afternoon when Skip and I arrived at the Pan Am terminal at Haneda airport.

This was an exciting time for us as we watched che crates liked onto pallets and then hoisted with a crene up to the loading door of the he&er. It was late evening by the time all 59 crates were on board PAA Highr 876 and the aircraft was ready to depert. Skip and E werc listed as couriers on the manifest because the am drd not know what else to do with a. We climbed the stairs into the flight deck and were greeted by the crew who inforrned us that there were no aurommodaths on heighten except for them. They motioned for us to go back to the freight compartment of rhe aircraft. There, all we codd sw was aam after crate lined up the entire 1 4 bE rhe plane. We did find two jump s a c s againrt the bulkhead a d a large microwave oven for heating the crrwf fwd. We strapped tnto the jump seats, the jets whined and off we headed fot San Francisco.

There was, of c w n e , no camfortable place to sleep and we were both clog-tired. We were given several blankets and found a place to lie down beside the crate containing the large wisteria bonsai. So we crawled under h e bbnkees and eventually slept until we were awakened by a crew member as we approached the California coast just about dawn.

When the plane landed in San Francisco, we were met by Customs, Pan American Airline and USDA agents. The Agricultural impector was especially hetpful and assisted us through quarantine quickly. The Customs agent, however, had a problem. It seemed hat USDA research

materials were entered duty free but until early the next morning. nobody had envisioned that it would $ i 4 i t & b E

Q : h t t , 4~ The g r c e n h at Gknn Dale include a shipment of such a high V Y A b . ~ ~

) 1 4 ; + 1 7 ? 3 t were ready. Bob Dreddcr and others monetary value. Thankfully, he signed * - c Q ( x . ~ . ~ R

f 4 - f n i i F 6 1 i from Gknn M e and rhe National the release and said that the folks at L 3 & E i r P P t t e ~ j H ( 8 i Arboretum were on hand when the our final Baltimore destination could $4: -Y A b: 4

~ 7 a ~ i i i h 6: 2 b i I: trucks were unloaded and the crates solve the problem. We also insisted t ~ ~ b i ~

a L E placed on the o d & h e on clearance then so as to avoid delays : I , O L ~ A L , J L b : / : " h greenhouses. T h e trees were gently in Baltimore. So on the form was

" I ' *if;ae- lifted out of the crates d taken into

written "State Dept. Letter To Follow," 5 ~ ~ l r 3 h + b i f h - t : their new quarters. They were now but I do not think one ever came. @r,#t :a ~ 4 ( % f S Bob Dr~hsler's char@ and he * 2 * " * l s

Because Pan American Airlines tlt'FY hovered over them iike a hen over could not fly across the country, their 8 ' 6 * * F new-borne chich. The J a p e r e

b . C % I t P- agent in Tokyo had arranged for two q t i v t ~ a bonsai gift to the American people

r:+X.nY ' United Airlines DC-8 cargo aircraft to & a t # * ~ 9 1 : L I : *# had arrived! transport the trees to Baltimore and 1 i 5 3 - p ~ ~ ~ R - , L d # I f i they were standing by. The trees were $ 7 t: Y I : & y 8 ' k a r t MAKING THE BEST OF

nSEqL, l : transshipped. Skip took one plane and 4 t h * x f : ~ QUARANTINE I the other, and off we went on the last With the bonsai cdlection safely leg of the journey. Our only concern at Glenn Da!e and Drechsler as the was that the planes made a stop in curator, he and the Glenn Dale Chicago to unload other freight, and we feared that staff proceeded to provide improved quarters for if the crates were unloaded in the lreezlng weather the trees. New insect screening was installed the plants wouid be harmed. The Japanese mapies on the greenhouse windows and vents, attractive were already coming into leaf. But the crews wooden sLots were placed on the benches to avoid worked it out so that while the planes sat on the scratching the ceramic pots, and the entire ground the trees were kept inside. We departed greenhouse was thoroughly cleaned. Chicago quickly and arrived at Baltimore A few days after the collection arrived, John International Airport on the evening of March 3 1.

Naka came from California and walked through The plants were unloaded and put into a hanger

the collection giving suggestions to bb. John until OUE trucks from the Glenn Dale station could

pointed out that several of the "jins" (dead take &em to their new home. Skip and I were so

branches retained on the trees) needed treatment tired we took a room at the nearby motel and slept

' . - . . m s > q L r - b ' . . u -

with lime-sulk to intensdy their whiteness. Bob the health of the collection, and they were totally obtained the limesulfur and painted the "jins" pleased with the way Bob was handling his new which promptly turned them yellow-orange. Being assignment. Everyom's main concern was new at caring for bonsai, Bob was horrified at the whether the bonsai would cderate quarantine cobr. But aker a few days, the "jins" turned snowy greenhouse conditions during the summer. The white as they should be. Relief!

The presence of [his splendid present from the Japanese people had a remarkable impact on h e Department of Agriculture. Mr. Edmmster was able to find the funding for the cost of the transporocion, and 1 did not "fail from grace" or go into debt personally. Probably the reason was that the collection was receiving considerable praise in the Washington press. The visits to Glmn Dale by Ambassador Fumihrko T q o and the entire senior staff of the Japanese Embassy daubtlessly helped as well. Secretary Earl h t z brought a delegation of high departmental offi- cials to see the collection, and we entertained them with a picnic at Glenn Date under a rnag- nificent japanese chestnut oak. The station was at its prime in late spring with azaleas end other plants in full Moorn. A few bonsai folks stopped by to "take a peek" at the trees andoffer their dpinions on how Bob was caring for the collection.

A smaH delegation of Nippon Bonsai Association Directors flew over from Japan in May ca determine

extremely fine screening that was required for quarantine purpase cut down on air mverncnt and resulted in higher temperatures. We had installed cooling fans in tfie greenhouse as a temporary measure, but chat was nor adequate. Fortunately, there was Pn wnued screenhouse structure on the grounds that had been wed to house quarantined ciuus plant introductions. I t made a perfect summer house. It had a glass- paned roof and screened sides. Furthermarc, it was enclosed with high chain-tLnk fencing and locked gates that gave added security for the bonsai. The structure was completely refurbished, and by June the bonsai were in their new quarters where they remained unril autumn. This was especially reassuring to the NBA Directors, and they returned home prepared to make glowing

reports to heir members.

Meanwhile, the quarantine inspectors made periodic visits to Glenn Dale and gave the trees a thorough

going over. Happily for us, the inspectors were

perfectly satisfied as to the

NBA OFFICIALS AT GLENN DALE health of all of che bonsai

and could find no insect or disease problems. We had to be somewhat selective in accommodating visitors because Glenn Dale was still a quarantine station, which gave us a good excuse to limit visitation. However, many bonsai club members requested to see the collection and, of course, we accommodated them as best we could.

We considered having John Naka come from California to consult on a regular basis. Because of financial limitations, however, the care of the collection was left strictly in the hands of Bob and his new volunteer assistants, Dorothy Wamn, Ruth Larnanna and Janet Lanman. These faithful women were Bob's constant helpers

throughaut his tenure and soon referred to thernsclves as his "grandmothers."

The health of the collection was good except for the crypromeria forest that had been in questionable health when it was chosen. Our Japanese friends admitted that perhaps it should not have been included. Although a couple of the small trees in the forest had died, Bob managed to give his special attention to the rest and brought them to a healthy condition by the end of the year. The Iapanese especially praised this effort because Mr. Eisaku Sato, a former Prime Minister and Counselor of NBA, had donated that particular forest.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE IAPANESE BONSAI PAVIL ION

I N JUNE 1975, WE RECEIVED BID INVITATIONS for the design of the viewing pavilion from 48 architecturaf firms. Because of the special nature of the facility, an understanding of Japanese display concepts and garden design was of prime imporance. The nationally known architectural firm of Sas& Associates of Watertown, Massachusetts, was selected to the design components and to supervise construction. Mr. Hi& Sasaki had a fine reputation and served on the Fine Arts Commission for the nation's capitol. His associate, Masao (Mas) Kinoshita, was an authority on Japanese design concepts.

I had already selected the most logical site for the garden, just off the broad central plaza that

faced the Administration Building. This ba t ion offered two advantages. It was ready accessible by foot from the Administration Building and offered a degree of security. I t was also close to parking.

After several concept meetings with the Sasaki architects, we finaliy agreed an the present design. It included an entrance welk through a forest of cryptomeria trees that would be under- planted with Japanese woodland plants, including Ternstroemia gymnanthera. Many of these specimens were growing at che Arboretum and some had even come from our own collecting trips to Japan. The entrance path brought the visitor around to the entrance gates and into a Japanese stroll garden where sekcted bonsai could be

displayed in a garden setting. The path throqh the garden was to be planted with appropriate Japanese species, leading the visitor to the viewing pavilion in such a manner that the firs bonsai to be seen would be the Emperor's red pine.

The entire facility would be walled and open to the sky above. An ourside perimeter walk would circle the wall and lead to the handsome double m e d gates at the entrance of the garden. There were many fine points about the pavilion It was elegant in its simplicity, with plain sand-calored walk and redwood benches. The low fencing system would also be made of redwood and be set at arms' length horn the plants so visitors could not touch them.

The bonsai would be dtsplayed on bng tabks in several room-like areas. Each bonsai and viewing stone would have a metal label with scientific name, age and donor name. &hind the viewing area, a small curator's worktwrn was planned where tods and other essentials could be stored. This small office, which Bob Prechsler occupied for years, also contained a workbench fw potting, pruning and other needs of the plants.

Durkng the late summer of 1975, the Arboretum's maintenance supervisor, Bill Scatborough, undertook the rough gradmg and removal of excess shrubs and trees. He had to operate a small front-end ioader delicately in very tight spaces to avoid damage to the perimeter walls that were k ing simultaneously constructed. With the grading finished, the planting of the

BILL SCARBOROUGH PLANTING PAVILIOld GARDEN

ft was the old rmiupmtiar smrg di wer agsm bccsltw mt early ~~ In k o b a acvcr- d large d loaded \BLth the bdkd CtyptQrnerins a p p d at the Atboreturn. t hed mt evert rractgd or diem and& hill war g e v d thowand dalhrs. But agaih out busiae~ d b at, &kiviib, WLand, merugid to work our the b i b d my rrputaim was ;lgain saved With hh Wed ut

. ( J . L ' A of the loader, ~carborouih smoothly placed these nursery. Today, t h e are a spectacular aspect a f large tna in perfect alignment to make the the entrance garden. What makes this more pathway into the pavilion. interesting is the fact that ow prent of these

hybrids is the rare Lagermemia fimriei that I had introduced from lapan back in 1956. So I suppose perhaps Don felt that he owed me something.

Skip March and 1 then began to fill Mas Kinoshia's rtquesr for planting material in early spring. In true Japanese fashion, all plants had to be mature specimens, and we scoured the Now came the matter of stones behtting a Arboretum planrings to meet Mas's needs. One Japanese garden. Mas Kinashita was K, ptrsonaily of the fiest maples, planted jusc as one enters the select these for their individual character and, as

many know, this i s something only a mined bonsai viewing are% came f r m a famous red mapk nursery in Pennsylvania. Several of the Japanese eye can appreciate. So one cdd snowy flowering cherries were obtained from our kienclS January day he and I drove to a stone quarry near in the National Perk Service. It seemed that Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, arriving late in the everyone wanted to help. day to pick out the stones. As cold as ir was, Mas

moved eastly among the candidate stones, select- There was s need Rx a row of call crape ing them for quality and character, a d assuring

myrtle trees set on mounds to permit their tops that they had the proper faces and others to appear above the wall. There was

aspects to meet his rid swndarb. o n l y one place to acquire &ern and thst ww f b m b a l d Egolf, the In Japan he could have gone to

k- 1 a "stone" nursery where choice Arbweturn's farnous crape myrtle b d a . One had to know Don stones ace for sale, but his selections were both handsome to realize that getting him to and unblemished. How release some of his precious 1 appropriate it was ro have "children" for our cause scones from Valley Forge for