The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-12-25

iAA"o NOOo w OAC hbOlO VI
the Dutch settlers on Manhattan Island,
as likewise do the shores of Lake Winni-
pisOgee and the White Mountains of New
Hampshire. have known Vermont
farmer to bring down 10000 Christmas
trees to New York, and to realize on
them in few days more than double
what he could make by working his old
farm up among the bushes for twelve
month, though he received flom the job
ber who bought them an overage of only
twenty cents apiece for each of his trees.
Very little, you will say, for the trouble
and expense of prospecting, paying the
owner of the land on which the trees
grew, cutting, hauling, shipping and
marketing, but you must remember that
the trees pass through the hands of two
other dealers besides the jobber before
they finally reach the consumer, If l may
be allowed that word in this case. The
jobber sells to the wholesaler, the whole
saler to the retailer, and all three must
make profit out of the transaction.
What wonder, then, that the trees, which
the farmer sold at twenty cents apiece,
bring at retail from seventy-fve cents to
$12, the latter figure-and even as much
as $15-being paid for unusually large
dllu DdnOoOlnC blCCo PIIClAdoCu ny OChON-
olent people for charitable institutions,
Sunday school celebrations, etc, hut,
mind you, Christmas trees OF that kind,
like Rome, are not made in day. To
attain that mammoth size they must
grow and flourish-even as the Psalmist
says he has seen the wicked flourish, like
unto green bay tree-for a quarter of
century.
aBut though New York, being the larg-
est city in our country, is naturally our
greatest mart for Christmas trees, and
though Maine, New Hampshire, Yer
mont and New York furnish our great
metropolis with those beautiful emblems
of living green, it must not be supposed
that that city or those states have a
monopoly of or patent right on Christ
mas trees. Almost all over this great
country wherever the wings of the great
American eagle throw their shadows, as
our spread-eagle orators say on the
Fourth of July, the Christmas tree is
purchased, trimmed and hung with
gifts. The only exceptions are some of
the treeless regions of the far West,
where railroads and steamship lines have
not yet penetrated. Even in such spots
in our little army posts on trackless
plains among hostile Indians-Christmas
trees are improvised from old walking
canes and umbrella handles spliced to-
gether. So universal is the desire for a
tree at Chistmas time that there might
be written to the familiar song "What is
Home Without Mother" companion
piece entitled "What is Christmas With
out Christmas Tree"
And what kind of tree is the best for
Christmas-tree purposes That is hard
question to answer. HemlOck, pine, bal
sam fir, cedar and spruce trees are used.
Each has merits peculiarly its own, ex-
cept, perhaps, the pine and hemlock,
which are often shabby and whose only
merit is cheapness. The green of the
cedar is not so bright as that of the
others, and perhaps that is whyIit lasts
so much longer. Cedar trees can some
times be obtained with branches bearing
here and there its lovely frosty berrses,
and the effect of such a tree is singulariy
beautiful. Spruce trees are very hand
some and stately and from their branches
may be hung gifts heavier than any
other Christmas rec will support, but
for my own part prefer the balsam frs,
for they are redolent with the delicious
fragrance of the piney woods, and call
up memories of never-to-be-forgotten
golden days with loving friends in sylvan
camp and on the merry march in search
of fish and game. There's perfume
that soothes and calms the troubled
heart and excited brain, and lulls us into
that sweet intensity of sleep that knows
no restlessness or dreams, as all who
have lain upon bed of balsam fir
boughs or upon pillow filed with their
feathery needles can testify. Another
advantage possessed by the balsom fir is
that as the tree dries the gum in its wood
tightens its needles so that they will not
fall. 1t is the falling of its needles that
makes the spruce tree objectionable as a
Christmas tree.
Then, too, the needles of the balsam
fir are finer and softer than those of
spruce or cedar, and the blending of
vivid green on the upper part Of its
needles and silver grey on the lower por
tion is one of those artistic and beautiful
effects which nature alone, of all other
artists, can produce. This variety of
Christmas tree is also more rounded and
symmetrical than any other, and that is
,ne of the greatest points to be secured
in truly artistic tree. In purchasing a
tree always endeavor to obtain one Of
this description. 1t can be more easily
and will be handsomer when
than any other. Select a tree
adapted 70 the apartment in which it is
10 be placed.