New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-25
IFS NATIVE WOODS AND MARKET.

THE EVERGREEN GROVES or MAINE AND NEW
WORKPLACES IN The COUNTRY AND AT CITY
MARRETs-FANCY TRIMMING FROM NEw-JERsEY.
In one of the most interesting chapters of
that weknown work OF the Hon. Geo. F. Marsh " The
Earth Modified by Human Action" where the author
IL making his almost pathetic plea for arresng the wan
ton destruction OF forests this continent Is stated
the authority Of the NewYor papers," that IN the
year 1850 $4,000 young evergreen trees and 10000
yards Of small branches into fcstoous were
brought TO this city alone Tor purposes Of Christmas
decoration.
1t is probable that these figures exaggerate the num-
Der Of trees which sacrificed eight years ago, but
each succeeding Christmas brings with it increased
demand, and at least 10000 have been brought into
this market for the holidays IL is rather sadden
ing % think Of shapey confer which has been gather
ing strength aud beauty for twenty years sold for
cents where it stands then "butchered to make
Christian holiday" and finally nailed up the portal
Of a sample-room. When all the States follow the
example Of California and have a Forester"
to protect the woods and preserve the proper
ratio between the OF woodland and pOughland
and when syyiculture is encouraged it is in Older
countries it is possible that fewer OF thrifty young
frs aud pruces will be laid waste to furnish temporary
decorations for churches butcher shops. But this
slaughter OF iunocens hardly dcplorable looks
~ first sight, for the trees absolutely exrpated
from the territory which is Mr.. Marsh says
that eyergreens do not sucker out" throw up
shoots from the stump like the hickory and chest
nut do; which ia true. But II is the practice
IN Greene County, In the Catskill region, which
this year furnishes nearly Onchr Of the whole number
OF trees brought to the cyo cut the young above
some OF the vigorous lower branches, and then
OF these sharply upward assuming the charac
ter Of leaders" which, years, will be ready TO
yield another harvest. In Maine rule. the trees
close to the root therefore DESTROYED But
many Of them old enough 10 produce seed before
they feed and in this way the be cut
year after year by selecting trees they reach
suitable size and allowing the seedlings to grow and I'll
up the vacant spaces.
Something like 200 trees came down the river from
the Catskii region this year. rather than this
her by steamer from Portland. while NewJersey, Long
Island Vermont Pennsylvania aud the counties Of Ulster
aud sullivan in his state furnished the Last week
they stacked up IN long along the docks and
why men, with kecn weathe:beateu faces, dis
posing OF them 40 wholesale 10 city dealers. II sales
man from Maine Interviewed nc could tell just why
his stock was the best In market He would have
serted that in Long Islaud and other places where
the soil il thin and sandy the LEAKAGE Is dull aud
yellow; that in some other places tho soil Il 80
deep and strong that the tree makes too long a
growth between joints" and is therefore SPRAYING
and pindly that in Maine, however the soil is JUST rich
enough 70 furnish color and the 50 brief that the
annual growth is shorter aud compact and that
the needles closer together and more persistent
that they will rattle OF ike those Of other trees
soon they nicely dry discourse Of this
actually repeated Greene County who had six
or eight thousand trees SELL and he responded iudg
uanty that lit stood 10 reason that mountain trees
would stand knockn' about than any Others be-
cause they used to it," II very plain that the
theories Of these gentlemen were modified trile by
their interest but aftcrau climatic aud other influences
have marked effect trees 81 the same species. There
is great difference too, in the quality of trees which
grow the locality and the best dealers only bring
those which perfectly symmetrical and which bring
much better prices. Every one OF the terminal buds
which a hungry squirrel sees nc TO dryour Is SO many
branches lost from the Joint" ~ next years growth
n two stand too close eher the branches between
them viii be dwared and tue outside ones Oyersrowu
Wandering cattle often twist of the branches with their
Bors and Accommodations OF and ice break down or
bend the limbs so that very considerable fraction OF
each years crop must be rejected In tae remote
regions where these grow they worth little or
nothing they stand. Often they are given away by
land owners who wish To clear their fields for tilage
Sometimes they are sold for 80 cents hundred, with
ont regard Z, size. IN other they bring from to
cents apiece, the latter price being paid for speci
mems twenty-five thirty feet high And yet after the
expenses Of cutting and tying, and hauling and trans
porting by steamboat rail- and caring IN the city 20 q
pier where fifty dollars char ed for the which
cy are exposed for sale, the profits are not uea'ou
| able even when go IL occasionally realized for
an extra fine tree year the market has been over
| stocked trlr aud one Trustworthy dealer declares
that his expenses had been over 100 and that his re-
ceipts would little more than cover this amount.
The festoous which MI Marsh speaks are now rarely
made ~ the braucl es but of princes pine and
creeping evergrcens Great coils Of this come from the
Catsknls Long Island and Connecticut; but Monmouth
County NeyJcrsoy furnishes most Of the material for
! what i, known to the tiads rs fancy trimming
Every morning for fortnight, tie ers of the steam
boat Matteawau from keyport, lave been loaded with
/ wreath, and crosses aud stars and crowns,
and baskets made OF and leaves OF holy kalnIa
and rhododeudrou and scarlet berries ana cei tain
questionable vegetable production called leaves Of the
dragon tree" which resembles at first sight in form
and color the foliage OF the dracgrq terminals, but
which co.erinsuccon shows 10 be stained corn husks
Il j. difficult To- make even an approximate estimate Of
t amount OF decoration which Monmouth County has
contributed 10 the Metropolis one thrifty agricuIuTst
with face like a baked apple, who was dlsposls oil Ms
coored corn huss al lair prices convinced that the
! money received on board the Iatteawan would
buv several good farms" Certain II Is, that for many
DAYS this single boat brought At each trip from 300 to
900 dozen wrelths and other devices besides punches
~ holly and laurel together with icstoonlng by the
thousand yards. Upon the whole the frs and spruces
and lmias aud holly which sacrificed every Christ
mas could hardly be put TO better use for when Ne"
York decks herself with grecnery 10 celebrate the non
| day she gives employment to hundreds Of men and
women who sorey need IT, and Christmas Is made nei-
/ rler IN many home a hundred miles away
| DrFFNCE or THE N1TION'S CREDIT