East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-12-29


Washington, d. c., Dec. 29.-The
country's forests again have been call
ed upon to supply about four million
Christmas trees, and again many per-
sons have asked themselves and have
querie6 the United States forest SER
vice, "Is the custom a menace to the
movement for forest preservation ?"
In the millions of happy homes
over the country where the younger
generation has made the Christmas
tree the center of play since early
Friday morning, there are many
mothers ana fathers who have given
the question more or less thought.
From Sunday schools and other or
ganizations also, which hold an an
nual celebration around gayly
trimmed evergreen for the benefit of
the little ones, has come the question
whether ii is consistent to urge con-
servation of forest resources and then
to cut millions of young trees every
year to afford a little joy in the pass
ing holiday season.
Yes, it is consistent and proper
that the custom should be maintain
ed" has been the answer of United
States Forester Clifford Pinchot in
every case. Trees are for use. and |
there is no other use to which they
could be put which would contribute |
n "a nf
use by the children on this one great
holiday of the year.
Cut Little Figure.
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
million Christmas trees are used each
year, one in every fourth family. II
planted four feet apart they could be
grown on less than 1900 acres. This
clearing of an area equal to a good
sized farm each Christmas should not
be a subject of much worry, when It
Is remember that for lumber alone
Ii is necessary to take timber from
ar area of more than 100000 acres
every day of the year.
at is true that there has been Sc
rious damage to forest growth in the
cutting of Christmas trees in various
sections of the country particularly
in the Adirondacks and parts of New
England, and in these very sections
the damage through the cutting of
young evergreens for use at Christ
mas is infinitesmal when compared
with the loss of forest resources
through fires and careless methods Of !
The proper remedy is not
to stop using trees but to adopt wiser
methods of use.
1T is generally realized that a GER !
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 '.
reason for an outcry against using
land to grow Christmas trees than to
grow flowers"
Forest Service UphOlds Custom.
The forest service upholds the 6
Christmas tree custom, but recognizes
at the same time that the indiscrimi-
nate cutting of evergreens to supply
the holiday trade has produced bad
effect upon many stands Of merchant y
able trees in different sections of !,
the country Waste and destruction !.
usually result when woodlands are not :,
under proper system of forest man. !,
agement Foresters say that it is not
by denying ourselves the wholesome =
pleasure of having bit of nature in :.
he home at Christmas that the prob y
em of conserving the forests will be .
solved, but by learning how to use the :,
forests wisely and properly. The raw =
ages through forest fires must be =
checked, the many avenues of waste
IF timber in its travel from the woods :,
20 the mill and thence to the market =.
must be closed, and almost number -
ess important problems demand at :,
ention before the Christmas tree.
Germany is conceded to have the
highest developed system of forest
Of any country, yet its -
,er capita use of Christmas trees is -
greatest. The cutting Of small trees -
or Christmas is not there consider RI
ID in the least as a menace to the for
,st, but, on the contrary, as means
# improving the forest by thinning
md as source of revenue. It is
therefore,. constantly encouraged.
There is little doubt but that the
ime will come when the Christmas
rec business will become recogniz-
d industry in this country, and that
s much attention will be given to II
s will be given to the growing of
rops Of timber for other uses. This
ime may not be far off, for 1t Is al
eady understood that only through
he practice Of forestry, which means
9th the conservation Of the timber
'hich remains and carefully planned
ystems Of reforestation, will 1t be
ossibe to supply the country with its
orty billion feet Of lumber needed
ach year, as well as the few million