Evening journal., 1901-12-13
TREES ARR
GATHERED
Soon The Cedar aud Fir Will
Line City Streets
HARVESTING THE BIG CROP
Christmas Would Indeed be Robbed
Of Pleasure Without The GaiIy
Trimmed Tree
HARVESTING THE BIG CROP

What would Christmae be without
the gai.y-trimmed, sweet-scented cedar
fir and pine? Like house without fur
niture, like a banquet without yiands.
II is almost impossible TO imagine a
celebration of the Yuletide festival in
which the Christmas tree Is not the
chief feature
It is interesting to trace the history
of these symbols Of the winter holiday
back to the days when they were
monarchs OF the gloomy Maine woods
and forests, unadcrned save for the
beautiful greens In which nature robes
them.
Up in the most northern State in the
Union these Christmas trees are found
ian great abundance Ever since une
Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock and
strayed through Massachusetts up to
the sister State of Maine, the pines OF
ule woods in this latter land have been
felled, and still the forests are not de-
nuded They grow in great groves.
rearing their stately heads sunward
and promising wealth TO the farmer Of
the State
To Maine the Christmas tree dealers
wend their way and bargain with the
farmers for their stock Of evergreen.
trees
Il is a fact well-known by all vino
are conversant with the Maine farmer
that although lhe always has clothing
enough TO protect him from the severe
climate and food enough to grow the
muscle wihidh his hard work develops.
he is generally in a dead broke con-
ditlOn. and as means of reviewing this
chronic anemia Of the pocketbook the
Christmas tree trade has become an
industry of the first Importance.
Two months before the advent of
the greatest of all holidays the real
work Of the Christmas tree harvester
commences, although he must keep an
eye on his crop of trees throughout
the year. Early dn October the farmer
cuts tie trees himself and takes them
to market. or else he sells them as
they stand to one OF the big dealers.
cutting them after they are sold. This
latter deal lis the one most preferred
by bhe farmer, and as The demand in
creases and the supply grows less the
dealers seldom wait to purchase their
stock until they come to market To
make sure OF securing a sufficient
number to supply their customers
they have taken to visiting the Maine
farms and bidding for carloads a year
ahead. Most Of the Maine farmers sold
their 1901 crop early in January of 1900.
The difficulty Is not I'm disposing of
the trees, but In raising a sufficient
Quantity to supply the great demand,
which each year Increases.
The method Of the big wholesale
dealers, Of whom there are ten I'm the
United States, is to canvass the for
ests. make a selection of a group or
grove of trees, give the owner a lump
sum for the lot all of which are guar
anteed TO reach the purchaser in per-
feet condition. and then return to their
respective cities leaving the farmers
to do the.rest, including cutting pack
ing, shipping, etc. After ordering. the
dealers seldom see the trees again until
they arrive by the carload In the rail-
way depot.
Although the work of raising Christ
mas trees is not arduous or difficult, IL
requires a thorough knowledge of the
habits of the trees, for unless properly
trained, the lofty pines will not follow
the straight and narrow path upward
which is the only road they must be
permitted to travel If the owners would
receive a good price for them when the
time for cutting comes. A tree that is
allowed to deviate even ever so Slightly
from tn straight is almost worthless;
therefore the art of raising Christmas
trees lies in making them grow even
10y. A crooked tree cannot be given
away.
Trees naturally look toward the light
therefore they must me packed to-
gether to keep their tops always reach.