Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-12-31
FOUR MILLION
CHRISTMAS TREES
SUCH is NUMBER USED IN THE
UNITED STATES EACH
YEAR.
AND THE FEDERAL FOREST
SERVICE FORTUNATELY EX-
PRESSES ITS APPROVAL.

The country's forests again have
been called upon to supply about four
million Christmas trees, and again
many persons have asked themselves
and have queried the United States
forest service, is the csutom a men
ace to the movement for forest pres
/ ervation?"
| In the millions of happy homes over
! the country where the younger gen
| Grafton 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 annual celebrations
around gayly trimmed eyergreens for
| the benefit Of the little ones, has
come the question whether it is con-
! sistent to urge conservation of forest
/ resources and then to cut millions of
/ young trees every year to afford lit
| tie JOY in the passing holiday season.
Yes it is consistent and proper
/ that the custom should be main
! tanned, is the answer of United States
! Forester Clifford Pinchot in every
case. Trees, he says are for use
| and there is 10 other use to which
they could be put which would con
tribute so much to the joy of man as
their use by the children on this one
gre at holiday of the year"
He adds that the number Of trees
cut for their 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 or one in every fourth
family. If planted four feet apart they
could be grown on less than 500
acres. This clearing of an area
equal to a good-sized farm each
Christmas should not be subject of
much worry when it is remembered
that for lumber alone it is necessary
to take timber from an area of more
than 100000 acres every day OF the
year.
1t is true that there has been seri-
Gus 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 those very sections
the damage through cutting of young
eyergreers for use at Christmas is
declared to be infnitesimal when com
pared with the loss of forest re-
sources through fires and careless
methods of numbering. 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 cutlery against using
land 10 grow Christmas trees than to
grow flowers, says Mr.. PincrOt. The
forest service upholds the Christmas
tree custom. but recognizes at the
same time that the indiScriminate cut
ting of evergreens to supply the holt
day trade has produced a bad effect
upon many stands of understandable
kinds of trees in different sections of
the country. Waste and destruction
usually II suit when woodlands are not
under a proper system of forest man
agemeut FOresters say that it is not
by denying ourselves the wholesome
pleasure of having a bit of nature in
the home at Christmas that the prob
lem 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
che Clled, the many avenues of waste
of timber in its travel from the woods
to the mill and thence to the market
must be closed and almost number
less important problems demand at
| tentiOn before the Christmas tree.
! Germany has the highest developed
/ system OF forest management of any
| country yet its per capita use of
Christmas trees is greatest. The cut
! ing of small trees for Christmas is
not there considered IL the least as a
| menace to the forest, hut, on the con-
! trary. as a means of improving the
forest by thinning and as a source of
revenue. 1t is therefore constantly
/ encouraged.
Mr. Pinchot believes there is little
doubt but that the time will come
when the Christmas tree business
will become a recognized industry in
this country, and that as much atten-
ton will be given to the growing of
crops of timber for other uses. This
time may not be far off, for it is al
ready understood that only through
the practice of forestry. which means
both the conservation of the timber
which remains and carefully planned
systems of reforestation. will it be
possible to supply the country with
its forty billion feet of lumber needed
each year, as well as the few million
little trees used at Christmas time.