The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-26
FAYORS XMAS TREES
U, S. Forestry Service Sees No Harm in Using Four Million
 of Them Each Year.
CLIFFORD PINCH0T EXPLAINS
Trees Should Re Cut Under Forest Su- pcrvision and No Loss Will
 Result.
(spcclnI 10 inc Journnl-Courlcrl

Washington, Dec. 25--The eoun- try'S forests again have been called upon to supply about four million Christmas trees, and again many per sons have asked themselves and have querlel the United States forest ser vice :" Is the custom menace to the movement for forest preservation
 In the millions of happy homes over the country where the younger gen eraton has made the Christmas tree the center of play since early Friday morning, there are many mothers and fathers who have given the question more or less thought. From sunday schools and other organizations also, which hold an annual celebration around gayly trimmed evergreen for the benefit of the little ones, has come the question whether 1t is consistent to urge conservation of forest re- sources and then to cut millions of young trees every year to afford lit- tie joy In the passing holiday season
 Yes 1t is consistent and proper that the custom should be maintain ed," has been the answer of United States Forester Clifford Pinchot In there is no other use to which they could be put which would contribute SO much to the joy of man as their use by the children on this one great holiday of the year
 The number of trees cut for this use each year is utterly insignificant when compared to the consumption for other purposes for which timber is demanded. Not more than four mil lion Christmas trees arc used each year, one in every fourth family. If planted apart they could be grown on less than 800 acres This clearing of an area equal to a good sized farm each Christmas should not be sub ject of much worry, when 1t is e. membered tht for lumber alone 1t is necessary to take timber from an area of more than 1O0 900 acres every day of the year.
 Tt is true that there mas been ser
 
 cutting of Christmas trees in various sections of the country, particularly in the Adirondacks and parts of New England, but in these very sections the dtmage through the cutting of young evergreens for use at Christ mas is inhnitisimal when compared with the loss of forest resources | .t-. l I \ |, ,.,lp ( | numbering. The proper remedy is not to stop using trees but to adopt wiser methods of use.
 1t is generally realized that a cer- | tain proportion of land must always | be used for forest growth, just as for | other crops. Christmas trees are one \ form of this crop There Is no more l reason for any outCry against using | land to grow Christmas trees than to ' grow flowers.
 The forest service upholds the ! Christmas tree custom but recognizes at the same time that the indiscrimin- ate cutting of evergreens to supply the holiday trade has produced bad i effect upon many stands of merchan- ! able kinds of threes in different sec l tions of the country. Waste and de- struction usually result when wood l lands arc not under proper system ] of forest management. Foresters say 1 that 1t is not by denying ourselves the 1 wholesome pleasure of having bit of nature in the home at Christmas that ! the problem Of conserving the forests will be solved but by learning how to use the forests wisely ana properly | The ravages through forest fires must | be checked, the many avenues Of waste of timber in It's travel from the woods to the milY and thence to the market must be closed, and almost numberless important problems de- mand attention before the Christmas tree.
 Germany is conceded to have the highest developed system of forest management of any country, vet it's per capita use of Christmas trees is greatest. The cutting of small trees for Christmas Is not there considered l in tho least a menace to the forest, but. on the contrary, as a means of | improving tho forest by thinning and as source of revenue. It Is therefore constantly encouraged.
 There is little doubt but that the time will come when the Christmas tree business will become recognized industry in this country and that as much attention will be given to lt as will be given to the growing of crops of timber for other uses This time may not be far off, for it Is already understood that only through the practice of forestry, which means both the conservation of the timber which remains and carefully planned systems of reforestratlon, will it be possible to supply the country with its forty billion feet of lumber needed each year, as well as the few million l little trees used at Christmas time. !
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