The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-29
THE CHRISTMAS TREE QUESTION

pceH Sdlisu upon 10 supply ABOUT Il
100000 Christmas trees. and again
many persons have asked themselves
and have queried the United States
Forest Service: rs the custom
menace to the movement for forest
preservation
In the millions of happy homes over
the country, where the younger gener.
alton has made the Christmas tree the
center OF play since early Friday morn
ing, there are many mothers and faith
ers who have given the question more
or less thought. From Sunday Schools
and other organizations also, which
hold an annual celebration around
sayly trimmed evergreen for the bene.
question whether it is consistent to
urge conservation of forest resources
and then to cut millions of young
trees every year to afford little joy
in the passing holiday season The
answer is supplied BY United States
Forester Clifford Pinchot. who says:
1T is consistent and proper that
the custom should be maintained
Trees are for use and there is no 9TH
er use to which they could be put
which would contribute so much TO
the joy of man as their use by the chill
dren 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 100000
Christmas trees are used each year,
one in every fourth family If planted
four feet apart they could be grown
of an area equal to a good sized farm
each Christmas should not be = sui eet
! of much worry. when it is remembered
I that for lumber alone it is necessary
F, to take timber from an area of r,cr
/ than 100000. acres every day of ,he
/ year.
ut is true that there has been ser
ious 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, but in these very sections
the damage through the cutting of
Young eyergreens for use at Christ
mas IS intnitesimal when compar2
with the loss of forest resources
through fires and careless methods OF
numbering. The proper remedy IS not
TO stop using trees but to adopt wiser
methods Of use.
ut 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.
The forest service upholds the
Christmas tree custom, but recog-
nizes at the same time. that the indis-
criminate cutting of evergreens TO sup,
ply the holiday trade has produced a
bad effect upon many stands of mer.
4 sections of the country Waste and
destruction usually result when wood
lands are not under proper system of
forest management Foresters say
that it is not by denying ourselves the
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
1 how to use the forests wisely and prop
erly. The rayages through forest fires
must be checked, the many avenues OF
waste of timber in its travel from the
+ woods 10 the mill and thence 10 the
market must be closed. and almost
inlmberless important problems de.
mend attention before tire Christmas
tree.
GERMANY Is conceded to have the
hishest developed system Of forest
management Of any country. ye5 Us
per capita use OF Christmas trees i
creates The eating OF small trees
for Christmas is not there coasidersd
in the least as a menace to The fores..
hu, or the contrary. as means OF
improving the forest by thinning
and as . source Of revenue, 1t is
therefore constantly encouraged.
There is little doubt bnt that the
time Viii come when the Christmas
tree business will become recog-
nized Industry in this country. and
that IS much attention viii be given
70 il as will he given TO the growing
Of crops Of timber for other uses. This
time may not De far Of. Tor II Is al
neAdy understood that only through
the practice Of forestry. which means
+ both conservation OF the timber which
remains and carefully planned systems
Of refo7esta;ion. viii il be possible 10
1 supply the country with its 20 coo .0e0
feet Of lumber needed each year. as
well as the few million little trees
used al Christmas time.