The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-08

hatchet and reindeer cart have nothing 70
do now with the Christmas trees OF
Christmas morning. Santa Claus dele
gates this work now 10 subOrdinates. VINO
carry II on year after year, giving the
greatest satisfaction to the old Saint and
his benelciaries.
THE TREE MEN.
There are in this country only about
ten Christmas tree men, and these ten
supply the whole of the United States
with Christmas trees. They buy and sell
them, and the Christmas tree Industry
with them is as important and almost
as lucrative as the gold mine TO the
African kings.
Christmas trees come principally from
Maine Here there are farmers and wood
men who make a business OF raising the
pines. They have large woods filled with
the trees. These woods they keep clear
of noxious weeds and thistles. They
clear paths through for walking, and
they visit them frequently during the
year to be sure no blight has touched
the tree and that the sun is reaching
down TO all alike.
The art in raising a Christmas tree Is
to make it grow evenly. crooked
Christmas tree cannot be given away;
and the men who have forests OF these
trees are obliged to give each enough
space to let it grow properly. Trees ma
turally look upward towards the light
Therefore they must be packed together
TO keep their tops always reaching up,
yet far enough apart not TO be dWarfed
This is the Christmas tree art in nat
shell.
When the Christmas tree is grown
the Cmistmas-trec man visits the woods.
He looks at the trees, decides how many
carloads he will take OF the trees ana
orders them cut down for him and tied
in punches. The Christmas-trce man pays
about % cents a bunch, and there are
about five trees i'm each bunch. Six hun
dred punches make a carlOad-three thou
sand trees.
After the farmer has chopped his trees
and loaded them upon train he has
nothing more TO do except count his
money. Christmas trees are ike wheat
They bring in spot cash. The Christmas
tree man receives the trees at New York,
unloads them and sells them to the
groceryman. After that they reach the
port of Santa Claus By more or less
mysterious processes.
TREES FROM MAINE.
The Maine Christmas tree Is much more
valuable than any other tree. The farm
ers of Maine have raised the trees for
so many generations that they know all
about cutting them down. They have
a method by which they catch the tree
as It breaks off at the root under the
blows of the axe, and when II lands
upon the ground il is supported so that
not a limb is injured. The Acrondacks
have good trees now, and the state OK
Michigan supplies many, but down IN
Maine" is where the best trees grow.
Fashions change in Christmas trees as
in houses. Trees that were very fash
ionable a few years ago cannot be sold
now. The boys Of twenty years ago had
little spruce tree on Christmas morn
ing They thought IL fine thing. But
the boys of to-day want the baisam. a
Christmas tree man who should under
take to supply Santa Claus with suuce
trees this year, or with cedars, would so
home with a small opinion OF 81. Nick's
generosity Nothing but the fragrant
balsam now sells.
Christmas tree must be used about
ten days after IL is cut. The trees are
bought In the woods just about now. a
week from now they are tied IN punches
and landed in the cars, and within an
other week they are getting their decora-
tons.
There is always a preference In all
cities foT trees that were Ut near by
Nearly every one wants tree that viii
keep green and fluffy until New Years
day. and only the trees near at home
viii do this.
The average size of a Christmas tree
Is six feet. This sells for about 10 or
80 cents on q good year. The largest
trees are about twenty-five feet high.
or UP to the second-story window. There