The evening times., 1895-12-13
CHRISTMAS TREE STYLES
Come From North and South to
Grace Palace and Cottage.
HUNDRED THOUSAND A YEAR
FadS In Greens as In Other Things.
Tree Culture IA Profitable Industry
In Some States-Most of the Pines
Are of Nearby Growth-Big Prices
Paid.

The Christmas tree is an institution as
ancient as the cedars of Leba non, but where
they come from or who is responsible for
their annual appearancc->fs seldom given
d serious thought. even by those apparently
most deeply Interested.
OF late years the traffic In Christmas trees
has assUiutd immense proportions, and the
growing OF the trees has in. several parts OF
the country become an established indus
try. Froui the very nature of things and
rancies OF those who use the trees, the in
dustry rs not confined to the cultivation or
marketing of any one kind, but includes
many different kinds OF trees.
For the most part those trees used in
Iargr cities are cut from among the under
growth III the country adjacent. These are
of the CoiuroDest sort, having no preten-
sion to symmetry.
Besides these, will be found another, ap-
parentiy distinct class of Christmas trees.
They are frcsherlookng. greener and more
symmetrical in form, having the appearance
of being made to order for the special pur-
pose These come from the Christmas tree
farms of Maine and Michigan, and a few
from Central South Carolina.
When 1t is considered that the number OF
Christmas trees. of all sizes and descrip-
tons. used in all the large cities and towns
IN the United States. is in the proportion
of one tree To every three inhabitants,
pretty fair idea of the Christmas tree traf-
fic can be- estimated. In city the size of
Washington every year during the holidays
there are from $4,000 to $4,000 trees OF
all kinds. sizes and descriptions used in
the homes. churches and halls. or course,
there is always surplus. n dead loss, guam
tity left on the hands of the dealers, so it
Is estimated that the number of trees
brought 10 i've city every season reaches
nearly 100000.
SELECTING THE TREE.
In the selection of a Christmas tree the
purchaser is, as with reference to every
thing else. guided by the style of tree es-
tabiishcd hy the set to which he "r she
may belong. AS each set affects style
in tree peculiar to itself, hence il is that
there is demand for sn many different
kinds of trees to suit the tastes of every
one. Thusr who make 4 business Of cater
Ing IL the tastes and supplying the wants
of the multitude of tree purchasers have,
by long experience and closely watching
the fadsaBd IancieS OF Sncicty, come to know
exactly what viii sell 1.-THE coming season.
Experience has taught them that in this,
as in all other trades and businesses, there
must be n variety of stuck in trade; The
varieties most popular among purchasers
of Christmas trees are pine, cedar and holly.
There was a time many years ago when
Santa Claus carried around with him his
little tree as wen as his numerous presents.
and now the supplying of Christmas trees
is a> much a business as is railroadng
or gold minins-in fact, for the few en-
gagged in it, it is more like guld mining than
anything else. In all this broad country
there are not more than a dozen men who
make 4 special business of growing Christ
mas trees.
These men have plantations covering
areas Of several square miles, on which
nothing Is .ruwn but trees especially in
tended fer the Christmas tree ma rket.
They are iouked after and attended To-
inst as carefully as are the trees in the
orchard of the fruit grower, and none but
those which will command Il high price ard
ready sale are cut and shipped for market.
GATHERING THE HARVEST.
The cutting of these trees is not. as would
at first glance appear, a simple matter.
1t is done as carefully as possible SO that |
in falling none Of the branches will be broken |
nor the trunk in any way mutilated, SO as
TO give ,t q ragged or bruised appearance.
They arc all nearly of the SAME size. with
wide spreading branches and with u foliage
of the grccnest green.
The greater part of the fine Christmas
trees seen in the market place and at tree
stands" are pines and ccdars from Maine
aud Michigan. There are also to be found
few or the lOng-leaf pine variety, which
come from South Carolina. These are eX-
peasive and are priced on account OF their |
Beauty, in the light their long, green straws
or leaves, as they are sometimes called,
reTlecting ii variety of colors, according as
the light fails Oh them. The greater part |
OF the holly is from the Middle Atlantic
States. and is said to be far better than the
holly OF England or any other European |
country
In Washington the demand for Christ |
MAJ StreeS Is confine ed topine, ccla randholly. |
a hos ri ti,aS
brought 10 the city every season. This num- |
ber. OF COURSE, does not include the wagon |
loads of scrub trees brought III from the |
surrounding counties. The prices asked |
for the imported article, so to speak, range |
all the way from 25cents TO S25. and oc- |
casionaliyan order is placed fora tree which |
wiil cost nearly twice that amount. In the |
Christmas tree trade, as in all others, there |
j. a iiIIdirulau. thc goblet wrcn between |
tile woodsiuan ana the purchaser.
LAYING IN THE SUPPLY.
Tarmidd!.iiau in Washington is a shTcwd |
calculator ana loses no opportunity ia cry |
his wares. He is ever OF the alert, and |
does not wait until the article is actually |
needed 10 arrange for its supply. Knowing /
that there are TO bcfound in every commu-
nifty rrop'c who want the best of what is
to he ifaI. Instead OF his waiting for these
people 10 come to him, he seeks them early |
in the season, and often contracts for the
sale OF tree still standing in the forests
OF Maine or Michigan.
a tree sold under these circumstances
must come up 10 certain conditions, and
the price paid is a good round sum. Money
Is no object 10 the purchaser: he wants size, |
style aud quality, and is willing TO paw for
II. y middicnan said recently that the
profits on special sales in Washington
was Us great if rot greater, than on the
rest or hC business. ThcaNtrlgc Christmas
tree, hc said, sold for from twenty five to
fifty cents each. Taking into account The
losses caused by the trees LETT unsold, it !
VIII b. S"cn that 4 very large numbar would |
have to ~ disposed of al 4 fair profit for
the seller 10 realize even 81. To provide
against Tie probability of wnrbng the
whole season for nCtllin-, II is necessary to
manage few ''spe5 ial" sales.
"Las' g.7$pu," hc said. Il managed 10
mas, eleven special sales, and if II had