The Greeley tribune., 1904-12-29
Christmas soliloquy:
The Christmas Tree

This might with some justice
be called a Christmas sOlilOquy. 1t
was written on Christmas day, and
its subject matter deals largely with
one Of the most beautiful features
of the present festival-the Christ
mas tree. The fact that the thought
on this subject came at so joyful
season, was not because Of any dis
appointment In the full enjoyment
of giving and receiving. Rather 1t
was the outgrowth of liberal cele-
bration Of that one feature NEIL
| toned.
How many persons have stopped to
consider what the Christmas tree
really means. besides the JOY 1t gives
to young and old? Who has thought
about the tree, unadorned except
for its evergreen foliage? In the
mountains, where n grows so beau
tifully and in plenty, it seems to
the casual observer to be created
especially and only to gladden. some
family group or Sunday school at
Christmas time. Therefore, 1t Is
cut down by some ruthless hand who
has no more sentiment in the matter
than the one dollar he receives for 1t
from some proud and happy father.
In the home the tree comes to
adorn there is brightness OF wax
candle and tinsel, and golden
angel may perch in the tree top
for brief while-a week at the
most. Then the tree is stripped OF
its tinery and tossed into the back
yard.
Meantime In the hills there is
vacancy in the small group of trees
from which this one came. If there
were other straight and beautiful
trees In the group there are probably
many treeless stumps now standing.
But the supply seems inexhaustible
and the next year more trees are
taken from the group. BY and by
none is left that Is not SO horribly
crippled that they can neither grow
any more nor serve as Christmas
trees. Then where once upon a
time great snow drift lay hidden
by the ever sheltering foliage from
the early spring sun, there is noth-
ing but windswept rocks and sand.
So likewise, the work of destruc-
tion has gone on in other groups OF
trees and in other parts Of the hills.
until the decapitated stumps are
numbering thousands, tens Of thous-
ands and finally millions.
Now the above is generalities.
Here are some cold facts: 1t is
estimated by competent authority
that there were this year used 100, 900
fine evergreen trees in this state for
Christmas, and that there were cut
in the entire Rocky Mountain region
in the United States 1,5OO, 900 trees
for the festival just passed.
United States forestry experts place
the average number Of trees on large
areas in the mountains at 13O to the
acre. Cutting down one and a half
million trees. then, will annually
denude over 600 acres of trees from
ten to twenty years of age; rather
formidable array of figures.
The situation is serious, so serious
in fact, that several men in Greeley
interested in irrigation have recently
been looking up the state and federal
forestry laws, with view to having
introduced in the coming session Of
the legislature adequate measures to
prevent the wanton destruction of
the forests, as pertains to this one
branch of destruction.
Will these men want to deny their
own and our children the delight Of
the Christmas tree for what must be
some old woman's fancy? Some will
ask Assuredly they will not take
upon their heads any such appIoba-
tion. They will more likely contine
the sale of trees to the state in
which they are grown and also try
to have measures passed encouraging
the planting and growing of ever
green trees on the farm for home
consumption, and for the nearby
market.