The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-11
CHRISTMAS TREE HARVEST.
n PROFITABLE TRADE STARTED BT
NEW YORK TACHTSMEN.

Use Found by n Party of Duck Hunters for
Mnine's Millions of of the
Business-Polnta About Christmas Trees
Pocket Money for Maine Boys and Girls.
mo fewer than 1900 900 Christmas trees are
used In New York aud the New England States
every season." said an old woods operator OF
the Pint Tree State. land Of that number at
least three-niths grow on the bleak hillsides OF
eastern "andncrthern Maine. where the harvest
ing and shipping OF Christmas trees to the
towns and largo cities along the Atlantic coast
are conducted on a lnrge scale. Well-paylng
employment is thus furnished to hundreds Of
young farmers and timbermen. and at a time.
too, when finances are low and demands for
ready cash are prpportionateiy many.
More than % per cent. OF the Christmas
trees which reach this and other extensive
markets from Maine are black balsam ar. a
coarse-grained. w~hite-wooded product OF the
sub-arctic belt, which. together with the dwarf
graz birch and bitter willow shrub. forms the
flnal hedge o! vegetation around the North
Pole. All the rest are hemlocks. ptnea. and
now and then arbor vita trees. or course
pines and spruces are easier to get and In
many parts of tho United States they are al
most entirely used. but tho general adoption
OF the fir In the East is due TO its many superior
ornamental features and adaptation to Christ
mas PURPOSES. Another reason perhaps is that
after several centuries OF inquiry and expert
ment no one has ever discovered any possible
use for the CIR other than Its entire ftness as
the Christmas emblem.
AS do most great enterprises. the harvesting
OF Christmas trees ives its inception to New
York men. About twenty-five years ago
q party OF duck hunters from tho me-
tropolis went to Maine on q yacht. coast
Ing along the eastern shore OF Penobscot
Raw from OFlan1 IN nroOklin This VIVA n
period in which farmers and timber-land own-
ers were specializing as to how long II would be
before the entire State was given over TO fir
trees. Several observant members OF the party.
remarking the millions OF young frs which
crowned the headland. concluded that such
symmetrical bushes would make excellent
Christmas trees. and. with characteristic met
ropolitan enterprise. at once opened negotia-
tions with the farmers for the purchase OF q few
carGoes.
AT FIRST the farmers thought the New York
ers were simply having a high old lark at their
expense. never having encountered anybody so
foolish and unsophisticated as to buy frs. But
when the visitors opened their pocketbooks
and offered their money they were convinced Of
their sincerity. SO they fell to with a will and
loaded several schooners with the Maine hills
worthless growth. At various ports as far
south as Boston the tree-flled vessels touched.
discharging trees at each port.
The business was an immense success from
the very start, and the original members OF the
Christmas tree syndicate made money hand
over fist. After q while they sold out at a profit
TO other concerns, and they made money. too.
Others. learning Of their success, entered the
Christmas tree field, and go. within twenty-five
years from the time the first load was sent out,
fr lands have advanced In price from 500 for
a township-a trifing matter OF some 23.0O0
a~cres-to $40 and SIS for a single acre. II
only took them about ten years u strip of all
the trees on the seahoard. after which the
Christmas bush suppliers went inland. sending
their wares to Boston and New York by the
when tho business was first onened no
more than four schooners were. employed and
their united cargoes contained no more than
5000 trees. To-day six times that number OF
vessels skirt along the coast as far south as
to various points of distribution in the State OF
New York and the New England States. Last
Harvesting the Christ as trees il copducted
In no careleSS or hanhazard sort OF way. Not
tree should be intensely green. symmetrical.
sStrah,Ght |, a; ayd graceful; With II an abundance Of
and ornaments they are designed to bear. SO
those engaged, In harvesting first survey the
slZable, hrs. One man. an expert. does the cut
and sorts the fallen trees INTO bundles Of equal
length. binding them together with stout spun
yarn, Then a teamster. driving a pair of horses
attached to, a hnyrack. makes upa load OF the
RAILROAD station. From there the trees go to
the Tholes9l S :, IL the large cities n bulk. to
Although the trees are necessarily bulky
and expensive to shi p. there are large profits In
fhe p% %b z wf fHT not It Is sl e ye 5,oJ ger 9Tes acre and q A. A.
s lSTiR iab $40 and a" aS cSrt i2F S' aHa s55 s an acre Sa ACRE ics
ire ght, the trees do not cost two cents apiece
the smallest tree in the cities seldom il ever
TO a maximum Of about $3.50 1t may be read
ny seen that So long a. they he can find custom
no danger OF becoming poor.
rr BSt the benefit which accTu es to the Pine
4 4 & no ms irUn c EntS sedlih ta 81 fbs o3 dasi. Trees
come from labor and stumpaRe, Land grown
up TO 1rs is not only worthless from the Ium-
and burne before anything else will grow on
IT, Prior To- the dcyelopment OF the Christmas
Us that they were held exempt from taxation
by he town assessors. When. however. the
cnmbering growth 1 tn farmers arm rs% we're e sne uR.
aged to burn of the denuded hills and sow
moving aeIds which afforded food for MANY
herds OF c 'ws and sheep. Thus thousandsand
every Christmas contributes heavily TO the In
crease Of Names taxable basis.
which come from the Pine Tree State. Deep In
the pine woods, among resinous needles and
pTOkel IlhDS, tneTe grows creeping. Vlne-
like plant known commonly as the ground
plant. and termed by the botanists lycopodium.
The giant lycoIodlum OF the coal strata ia
Identical In structure with this creeping ever
green, Every fall the country children go to
the pine woods and tear up great stacks OF
ground pine. which il afterward sorted. pressed
into boxes or sacks. and sent TO the cities,
where II Is used in making wreaths. ~festoons
and streamers for auxiliary h ,Iiday adornment.
The coral-red berry o, the wild raisin
which grows by fence SIDES and on waste and
all over Maine is not so imposing in its festive
appearance or as renowned as the English
holly. yet it Is n much-sought article for Christ
mas decorative purposes. The boys and girls
In the country districts scour the pastures and
commons for these plants every November.
bind them in artist c | tile bundles and pack
them In boxes for shipment. Along with the
wild Taisins are sent clusters OF berries from
the American roundwood tree. bundles Of rose
stalks. brilliant with their lunches OF scarlet
hips. and crates OF thorn p,uns. The sale OF
Yuletide berries. and such. m nor accessories
bring 20 the children OF. Maine between $1,000
and $1,000 every year"
How = Lawyer Got tho Right of Way.