Evening journal., 1901-12-13

ing up, yet far enough apart not to be
dwarfed. This lis the Christmas tree
art In nutshell.
The Maine tree Is much more yalu-
able than any other The farmers OF
Maine have raised the trees so many
generations that they know all about
cutting them down. They have a
method by which they catch the tree
as IL breaks of at the root under the
blows Of the axe. and when Il lands
upon the ground IL is supported so THAT
mot a limb is injured.
Though the cutting, trimming. bind
ing and shipment of Christmas trees
is a .aborious task, the Maine farmers
who do the work themselves make the
occasion a holiday. taking their fam
HES TO the forest fringe and eating
their midday meal around blazing
fire that rOars and sparkles in the
midst of their labOrs One man cuts
the slzable trees close to the ground
another cuts away with a sharp hatchet
the few dead limbs into bundles of
another puts the trees into bundles OF
twelve and ties them firmly together
with strong cords. and a large boy or
man drives the team OF horses. hitch
ed to a hayrack, which hauls the lead
TO the wharf or the railroad station.
When a gang of Italians are employ
ed to cut and ship the trees the process
is even more picturesque and interest
ing than when the farmer does The
work himself
A Christmas tree takes flve years to
grow. The woOdman who raises them
can count upon going over the same
strip of land cnce every five years
This year he takes his boy OF with
him. Five years later the boy begins to
chop for himself in the same spot. and
still FIVE years later he is beginning
to count upon the proceeds OF the
Christmas trees from this piece of land
and Is reckoning upon starting a little
chap OF his own In the business. Thus
a few acres of pines upon which Wig
Orous trees win grow will support al
family from generation to generation.
world without end. as long as Santa
CLAUS lives.
It is an interesting fact and worthy
OF note that Il is only Within the last
decade that the Maine farmer has
grasped the full possibilities Of the
Christmas tree industry For years he
had this prolific source Of wealth right
at his door but lacked the enterprise
to utilize II.
Until ten years ago the balsam fir OF
the cold Northern woods was oonsid
cred the most worthless tree that ever
grew. It grew on land that would
raise no other crop. no animal or bug
or worm would eat of its foliage. and
when II was once started in a thicket,
no other shrub or tree had any chance
to come in and supplant Il. The wood
was valueless for timber and made
poor fuel. AS far as commercial value
went. the fir was wholly outside the
pale of human utility. Yet Il was one
of the prettiest and most thrifty trees
that grew. having n dense foliage Of
living green and a shape that was as
tapering and symmetrical as q mon
ster spire
The price which the farmer receive
for their Christmas trees. though
small for individual trees. amounts to
a good sum when a large quantity Is
taken into consideration. For small
trees. five to six feet tall. such trees as
would be used by families I'm moderate
circumstances. five cents is the usual
price: a tree six to ten feet tall will
bring from ten to fifteen cents. ac-
cording to symmetry. The fve-cent
trees are sold for twenty-five cents I'm
the city markets. while the nfteen-
cent tree often brings a dollar or
more. so the iobbers or retailers make
handsome profits on all they can sell
OF course all the trees left over after
Christmas are a dead loss. and those
which are sold must be disposed OF at
rates to preclude a possibility of run
ming behind in the venture.