Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-24

Tree DcCOInc, anu There dIC lc"
Il children whose eyes are not
sladdened, on the morning OF
the great feast day, with the spectacle
Of its glittering splendor and it's bios
SONS Of toys and other good things.
A careful. calculation. based upon the
latest census reports for this city, places
the number of Washington's juveniles OF
an age fitted to appreciate and esteem
Christmas tree at it's proper worth and
value at about sixty thousand. An in
quiry among the dealers who handle the
trees discloses the fact that there are
about ten thousand of the latter distrib-
uted among the people of Washington
Truly. forest of no small dimensions
would all these carefully selected balsam
frs make were they gathered together in
their natural environment.
The natural environment of the Christ
mas tree is not, in general. in the vicin-
number of trees used in this city come
from the wind-swept coast Of Maine,
which region supplies considerable por-
ton of the country with the frs. What a
contrast between the latters bleak, cold,
Iinhospitable habitat and the warm fire.
light and festive surroundings of its
Yuletide metamorphosis.
'It is a surprising thing remarked
one dealer, that forty years ago a
Christmas tree was practically unknown
in this country: The industry, as it now
exists, was undreamed Of. and IL there
were any trees at all, they were to be
found only in the homes OF foreigners
or. possibly, to certain extent, among
the Pennsylvania Dutch who cherished
4 10 1nv,er hnfnpo rr0 nv
New Englanders."
With all the sentimental associations
attaching to the custom, the widespread
dissemination OF the Christmas tree, or.
in other words. the latter regarded from
the standpoint Of commercial industry
in this country, is due to the keen BUSH
ness acumen of some duck hunters on
the Maine coast less than forty years
ago. These huntsmen noticed the mil
lions Of young balsam frs which grew
along the shores. and the brilliant idea
occurred to one member Of the party that
these symmetrical evergreens would make
excellent Christmas trees.
This observation proved, eventually. to
be boon to that section Of the country,
where the abandoned farm era had
begun. Indeed, it was said that 1t looked
as though the frs would overgrow the
entire state. where 1t had come to be
sign of fruitless desolation. At the pres
ent time Canada balsam" is made from
this tree. and vast quantities Of its young
twigs are gathered for ''balsam pillows"
not only by those professionally SO en-
ployed, but by the thousands Of summer
sojourners who hock every year to the
Maine coast The wood of the tree how
ever. has always been useless to lumber
men. Therefore. when New York YES
sci owner offered to buy a few shiploads
of young frs the honest Maine farmers
thought he was joking. But when the
man from the metropolis demonstrated
his intention and capacity to effect a
deal which would prove Of decided ad-
vantage to the farmers the latter set to
with will to furnish him with his cargo
-.
The first venture proved a success, and
the business grew gradually until, at
present, it has reached mammoth pro-
portions. Ten years after the first cargo
was shipped to New York the entire
coast Of Maine was stripped Of frs, and
the industry moved inland. The princi-
pal points of the trade, to which the
trees are shipped by sea, are Boston and
New York. From these ports more than
million Christmas trees are sent to
various parts of the country and about
twO-thirds Of this number are still grown
In Maine.
Although the trees are bulky, and
rather expensive to ship there are it is
eXpidlucu Dy the QcaleTS large prOfftS IN
the business. Thus, it is a poor acre of
fir land that will not yield 5000 trees,
and allowing SO an acre for stumpase.
$50 an acre for labor and carriage and $50
an acre for freight. the trees do not cost
two cents apiece delivered in Boston or
New York. In the cities the trees bring
from 20 cents to s.. The Maine farmer
gets to 40 cents for a tree For 40
cents the dealer expects a perfectly
straight. symmetrical tree, fully fifteen
feet in height.
Unlike all, or nearly all, the other
Christmas green's, the fir tree industry
seems to have no Objectionable features.
The balsam fir Is too common, too wide
spread and too eager to grow to be in
danger of determination. In Maine for
esting this formerly worthless tree gives
employment. during the month of Novem-
Der. to thousands Of people who would
otherwise be idle, and puts into the pock-
cts of the people of the state every year
something like 100000.
Before the tree industry began the fir
lands were exempt from taxation be-
cause they were worthless 1t is said
that one could sometimes purchase an
entire township about $1,000 acres) for
800. Thanks to the Christmas tree in
dustry these same lands are now worth