New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-01
TO TELL BALSAM FIR.
CHARACTERISTICS WHICH ESTABLISH
ITS IDENTITY-SPRCCE AND HEM
LOCK OFTEN MISTAKEN
FOR IT.

Unless al indications fail, every city den will be
vel supplied during the coming season with Pill
lows az bslsau lr CT what IS supposed 10 be
bs,sar Every veranda n the mountains is rife
with women who are clipping and stripping fra
grant boushs for this purpose. Small trees and
huge branches are dragged laboriously IN from
every Iaudward expedition. and although fingers
are scratched and skinned by unaccustomeo toll
The work gees patiently on. the tollers meanwhile
communicating themselves upon their success IN
finding The real thing But often one wiser ap-
rears and says: What Cutting hemlock Tor Pill
lows o.. ''EouTe E7t spruce not 0a-sara, there
Then the Old argument REEVES. and the past
grand ccrnoisseur OF The camp is called 10 decide,
and usually Il IS spruce that has been gathered
with such toll often It IS hernlocz, and even pine
and cedar have been mistaken for the al desired
article.
IN TACT. every thing with needles is apt 10 be
substituted for baIsaC II by city women. But re-
ctpenrs q pretty pillows a. Christmas viii, IN the
majority Of cases Be none the wiser. and viii lay
their heads with JUST as much pleasure upon ons
Is the Other.
Whether o. not there are curative properties in
bzisa1 - pillows. the Durability OF their rich,
woodland fragrance makes them the desired Of all
women and most men But 70 obtain ba-sam hr
en5 that only, whether o1e gathers II herself or
buys I. q the boy Teul5-s who are always at
hand with something Thar they call balsam, II is
-e-esss-[ ~ i---- ne r-=a contour branch needle
DOOR and color beyond peracVenrure. TO 90 this
one must know, TOO, ne henlock and the sprucss
needles are shorter ana more sparse, and tbs
brGlchleLs are Zz-
Unfortunately. tnere seems 10 be no one infaui-
BE guide ~ which balsam can be distinguished
from It's kindred he sDTuces; but the clearest case
q Identification can be readily established by
several characteristics The needles o. the spruces
grow er011 every side OF the stems, thus making
fu1 round clusters. Those OF the balsam grow only
O. three q the stems, leaving the back OF the
gtezs bare and fat while the tops and SIDES are
FL and round II most Of the spruces, too, the
rsedes are sharp al the point, and have tendency
curve inward toward the stems, while those OF
the 1s-sau a-e blunt and turn decidedly outward.
Large baIsEm trees be detected by rhe blisters
CT bark which. when pricked, exude an arc
C-stic resnOCs lie lid This, however is not char
scre-+sc OF young trees. which the ones usually
Used Il pillows. AS has been stated, these differ
ences are LoL always strongly marked and while
al q glance che may learn 10 distinguish between
spruce and balssm when they are together, more
DETERMINATION VIII Be required when they are apart
The door q the DalsaE e one OF its distinguish
Ing features. bur this, TOO. must be learned
In stripping The branches for pillows II IS well 20
have the tender, pla5le ends Of the stems and TO
strip OF some OF the bark from the branchlets with
he 1es6lez
Most people prefer 70 have z small mixture OF
er-sd hair the pillows that keeps the needles
tron mating and renders the pillows more com
Portable
Ths most suitable covers for balsam pillows are
made o. washable linens, which embroidered
VIII suitable designs or simply braided