The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-12-03
NO SHORTAGE OF
CHRISTMAS TREES
SUPPLY LARGE ENOUGH TO LAST
PRESENT GENE GRAFTON
SPRUCE GIVES THE BEST
sERvlcE-HoW GIFT BEARING
PLANTS ARE RAISED.

st. Paul Dispatch: Although the
people of the United States have been
cutting Christmas trees for several
centuries, there is no dearth in the
supply in the opinion of Gen. C. C.
Andrews forestry commissioner of
Minnesota. In Minnesota alone, the
general says, there are $4,000, 600 acres
on which the jack pine, pine. spruce
and balsam grow in more or less
scattered sections, and that those with
the supply from other states where
similar kinds Of evergreen trees grow
viii be enough to last the present gen.
Grafton and then some.
Christmas trees have already com
menced TO arrive In st. Paul and the
greater part of them come from WIS
consin. To the person who is looking
for the best kind of tree for the cell
ebration in the home. it is suggested
that spruce be bought Balsam trees,
which are also offered for Christmas,
contain gummy substance which
gathers on the bark under filmy Bills
ters. These blisters are easily broken,
and the balsam, which can be scoeped
out with a spoon for its medicinal
properties. gets on the hands ard
clothes and is most difficult to remove.
Pine trees also have a gummy sub
stance which is not at all pleasant
when 1t comes in contact with the
hands or clothes, Besides this both
the pine and the balsam are other
wise ill-fitted for the Christmas tree
purpose. Their branches are not firm
enough TO hold the Christmas burdens
and many a person has, in decorating
balsam tree for the Christmas fes-
tivity. been forced to brace its
branches
Spruce the Best Kind of Tree
Spruce is the best kind of tree for
bearing the weighr Of holiday gifts
It's branches are strong and will nor
bend under the ordinary Christmas
gift. such as goes on a tree Then
what little gummy substance there is
about spruce is dry and does not adj
here SO easily, to the clothes. General
Andrews. who knows more about trees
than perhaps any other man In Mime
sofa, said that Of all the evergreens
that are offered for sale during the
pre- holiday season the spruce is the
best fitted to do duty as a gift-bear-
ing tree.
Some men make their livelihood
raising Christmas trees, but this takes
much land and land that is worth lit
tie for other purposes. Christmas trees
grow best in rocky soil that is united
TO- agricultural: purposes, Ordinarily
IL takes fifteer years for these ever,
greens, whep planted from the seed, 70
grow large enough for use on Christ
mas day Spruce trees raised for
Christmas are usually sown in the
seed while balsam and pine are some.
times traDsplanted. or more often cut
wild. General Andrews. speaking OF
the raising OF Christmas trees as an
industry SAYS:
Growing Christmas Trees.
1.-THE use OF Christmas trees is not
inconsistent with any forestry prln-
ciple Forestry is a science of obtain
ing revenue from land that is unfit for
agriculture There frequently is found
land that is rocky or hilly and unfit
for field crops but on which Christmas
trees can be grown with profit, there
fore raising and marketing Christmas
trees is good forestry
"If one wishes to raise spruce for
Christmas sale the seed should be
sowh in a nursery, and when the trees
are two or three years old they can be
transplanteo outside The cultivator
would best set them about four feet
apart Thus he could raise 1922 trees
to thu acre He could plant them three
feet apart thus raising 4,S40 but
planting them too closely might cause
the loss OF part OF them 1t would take
fifteen years for the trees to grow
five feet the average height for a
Christmas tree BY getting from 80
to so cents tree the owner would get
q pretty fair return from land thnt
was gaad for nothing else"
In Minnesota there is no law against +
the cutting OF these trees. In Maine
the state forestry commission has rec
commended that the state legislature
pass a law prohibiting the cutting of /
trees OF a certain size on all water
sheds. Such a law, according to Gen.
eral Andrews. Is not likely to be
passed in Minnesota 1--WE have all /
we can do to guard against fires," said /
General Andrews, without troubling
over the drainage question. /
Anyway. the trees which we would
save by such a law would not be large
enough for saw logs until 2015, be-
cause It takes 12O years for evergreen
trees to grow to that size from seed"