Here you will find solid information including the Intermediate Bonsai Syllabus written by Mr. Bonsai Societies of Florida Edited by Tom Zane, one of the top bonsai people in the United States. One of the great differences between pen tsai and bonsai tree is the latters use of wiring as a common technique for changing the shape of the tree. There are three basic goals to top pruning. A root pruning really needs a top bonsai seeds pruning to balance the plant; less foliage up top is less foliage the roots need to support. We have covered root pruning in another article; branch pruning is the other side of this coin. Records show Indian herbalists keeping prized plants dwarfed in containers to increase their mobility 1500 years back.