Evening star., 1896-12-19

mas tree can only be obtained when the
Christmas tree season. which properly
lasts from Christmas day until little
Christmas day on January 8. is cold, and,
prefer ably. snowy. The whole idea of the
Christmas tree is to have something cheer
fully green in the house as contrast to
the cheerlessness and deadness of the out
side, snowmantled world. Snowy and de-
cidedly cold Christmas seasons are far
from common in Washington, yet owing
to the great numbers of people from north
ern states who live here. the Christmas
tree is an exceedingly prevalent national
capital institution. To the majority of
northern folks residing here Christmas
would be no Christmas at all without the
tree
Il should say that at least 10000 Christ
mas trees are sold in Washington every
year. They vary greatly in price. The
cheapes: can be bought for a quarter, and
the most expensive costs as much as $50
On one of the Christmas days during tne
first administration of President Cleveland
the late Mrs. Whitney decorated a Christ
mas tree for the children from an Or
phanage 1t was about a twenty-foot
spruce, and cost $50 1t was decorated with
several hundred dollars worth of toys and
other stuff Rich people living in Wash
ington sometimes pay 500 for Christmas
trees varying from ten to twenty feet in
height.
THE cheapest grades Of Christmas trees
oolored men. who gather them in the near
by counties of Maryland and Virginia.
They get from half dollar to 81 for them.
They are the common oedars that abound
in most woodlands. The expensive Christ
mas trees are shipped here from Maine and
Wisconsin. These are generally high-class
pines, covered with cones. The nursery
men in the New England states make a
regular business of growing and training
Christmas trees and Christmas tree
nursery was recently started out at Bright
wood 1t will probably be long time.
however. before we sell any of the trained
Brightwood Christmas trees for it takes
at least ten years to grow them from the
seed.
Prepared for the Market.
''The pine and spruce Christmas trees are,
of course, the best and the greater number
cf cones on them the more they cost. The
trees are ordinarily sawed off about a foot
from the ground, but the custom of dig
ging them up; roots and all, transplanting
them in tubs fl led with soil and selling
them thus Is growing. THIS Is good
scheme, for the best of sawed-off Christ
mas trees loses it's fresh appearance within
week, owing to the whitening effect of
the heat from the lanterns and candles
orHamenting it. When the trees are sawed
or dug up they present a rough. uneven
appearance. and the Maine and Wisconsin
dealers employ men to rrune them into the
proper Christmas tree shape with shears"
There will be numerous novel features in
the decoration of Christmas trees this
year" said leading dealer in toys and
holiday gear. There has always hereto
fore been a good deal of danger in the light
ing of Christmas trees. and fatal accidents
from the sudden igniting of the trees and
their inflammable decora tions have been
numerous. Small vari-eolored mica-sided
lanterns will be used in large measure this
yeai for the lighting of the trees. These
little lanterns nave In their bottoms q
tiny tin cup. in which is placed a sponge
wi nil A mi,
wick rises from the sponge, and this Is
lighted before the lantern is hung on the
tree. The danger from Christmas tree fires
is thus practically eliminated
THE Eskimo Christmas tree is going to
be seen in good many Washington homes
this year. The trees boughs are loaded
with artificial snow and hung with cum
ningly wrought glass icicles and a lot of
tiny Eskimo doll people are tied in life
like attitudes to the branches. This makes
a sufficiently wintry tree, and the effect is
quite beautiful.
Some Novelties in Trees.
'''rhe fairy tree is new one this year
that will delight children living the blissful
Hans Andersen period of their existence.
All of the boughs of the tree are filled in
with fine cobweb tinsel, through which
peep diminutive will-o'the-wisp lights Set
amid the tinseI little fairies with wands
and wings are cleaning in silver drapery
the fairy queen enthroned in state at the
top of the tree.
"A Christmas tree hung with several
dozen or scores Of tiny Japanese lanterns
under which walk as many dozen or scores
of petite Japanese children with parasols,
has pretty effect. A tree being climbed
all over by who'll. village of Palmer Cox
brownies is another novelty Of this season.
THE Swiss Family Robinson tree is not
exactly an inexpensive affair. but the
Washington children of the wealthy will
dance around these quaint trees this year
1t requires special kind of tree. but the
ingenious head of family can tinker up
good Swiss Family Robinson tree in q
few hours. He must cut out some of the
trees branches half way up the trunk The
tree must be set on the floor and not on
table On the floor, at the base of the tree
a platform is made, and then a little stair
case is built up from the platform to where
the trees branches begin to spread A
small house. cheaply painted. is erected
around the trunk at the top of the stair
case. Partitions of wood or pasteboard are
put in this little house the walls of which
should be papered. The house is open at
all sides except the rear. and is furnished
with tiny chairs, upon which sit dolls rem
resenting the var ious members of the han
py Robinson family The tree is hung with
lanterns. Lookouts are placed here and
there. like the fighting tops of men-of-war
SORROWFUL