The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1909-01-02
CHRISTMAS TREES
WILL HOLD OUT

on to supply about four million Christ
mas trees, and again many persons have
asked themselves and have queried the
United States Forest Service, "Is the
custom menace to the movement for
forest preservationa"
In the millions of happy homes over
the country where the younger genera
tion has made the Christmas tree the
center of play since early Friday moru-
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
gayly trimmed evergreen for the bene-
fit of the little ones, has come the ques.
ton 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.
Yes, it is consistent and proper that
the custom should be maintained - has
been the answer of United States For
ester Clifford Pinchot in every case
"Trees are for use, and there is no
other use to which they could be put
which would contribute so much JOY
of man as their use by the children oa
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 de-
manded. Not more than four million
Christmas trees are used each year, one
in every fourth family. If planted four
feet apart they could be grown on less
than 1900 acres. This clearing of al
area equal to a good sized farm each
Christmas should not be a subject of
much worry, when it is remembered
to take timber from an area of mora
than 100000 acres every day of the
year.
''it is true that there mas been seri-
Gus damage to forest growth in the
cutting of Christmas trees in various
sections of the country, particularly in
the Adirondacks and part of New Eng
land, but in these very sections the
damage through cutting of young ever.
~ I'd ;ut, fc iyf ipt
tesimal when compared with the loss
of forest resources through fires ami
eereless methods of numbering. The
proper remedy is not to stop using trees
hut to adopt wiser methods of use.
''Tt is generally realized that 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 Christ
mas tree custom, but recognizes at the
same time. that the indiscriminate cut
ting Of evergreens to supply the holi.
day trade has produced bad effect up
on many stands of merehantable kinds
Of trees in different sections of the
country. Waste and destruction usu-
ally result when woodlands are not un-
der a proper system of forest manage
ment. Foresters say that it is not by
denying ourselves the wholesome pleas
ure of having a bit of nature in the
home at Christmas that the problem o.
conserving the forests wisely and prop
erly. The ravages through forest fires
must be checked, 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
numberless~ important problems de-
mand /attention before the Christmas
trsc.
# Germany is conceded to have tn
highest developed system of forest
management of any country, yet its
per capita use of Christmas trees is
greatest The cutting of small trees
for Christmas is not there considered
in the least as a menace to the forest,
| but, on the contrary, as means of i'm
/ proving the forest by thinning and as
a source of revenue. 1t is therefore
,onstantly encouraged.
There is little doubt but that the
time will come when the Christmas tree
usiress will become recognized in
dustry in this country, and that as
much attention will be given to it as
will be given to the growing OF crops
of timber for other uses. This time
nav not be far off, for 1t is alrea y
understood that only through the prac-
tice of forestry, which means both tne
conservation of the timber which re-
mains and carefully planned systems OF
reforestation. will il be possible to SUP