The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-12-13

tanned The limbs are bound down tight as
to save room in shipping Then they are bound
together in punches of five this being convenient
for both shipment and sale. They go to market
In open cars that they may be kept cool and pos
sibly damp. Otherwise their tips might wilt and
their attractiveness thus be lessened. They are
sold direct from the to retailers and these
make point of keeping them always In the open
air.
Throughout the southern states the supply of
Christmas trees comes from the southern pine
that overruns the region Ordinarily the markets
are supplied by the wagons of the farmers, but
in the bigger cities they come In carload and
tranload lots. The fir is abundant in Colorado,
but It grows in high, inaccessible places, and
therefore the Douglas spruce and the lodgepole
pine largely take Its place. This is largely true
of all the Rocky Mountain states. In California
and the other Pacific Coast states the incense
cedar and the young coast redwoods are quite
generally used Christmas trees. The swamps
of Michigan Wisconsin and Minnesota furnish
the markets of Chicago, ST. Paul. Minneapolis and
Detroit.
When the time is ready for the indoor Of
the tree it is dug up and pared down to graceful
piece of earth as a base Then piece of can
vas or any other sort of stout cloth is bound
about the base to prevent crumblng OF the earth
The whole Of this is then fitted into box or tub
and Is ready to serve it's purpose in the house.
1t is more solid and effective indoors than the
binary tree and never willis or droops. 1t is in
reality living tree.
When the festivities are over the tree is taken
to the point where it is to be planted. hole is
dug to fit it's base. This may be successfully &C
compshed even where the ground is frozen. The
tree ia lifted from its tub the cloth is taken from
around it's base and it is fitted again into the
earth from which it came. The protected roots
again take hold and the tree goes on growing
without a knowledge OF its holiday expe-
rience. 1t is in way injured.
Nurserymen specially prepare trees for just
this purpose. Individuals may do the same thing
with no more explanation than that given above.
Trees from the native woods around any village
may have their roots pruned in advance or they
may be dug up with preparation whatever.
There is a better chance of their fourishing when
they have been prepared for the transpanting.
But any evergreen dug up with bit OF earth
about it's roots should grow.
There is also a manner OF permanently marking
trees without injuring them or interfering with
their growth A tag fastened to piece Of wire
will remain attached to tree for century.
This tag may be of metal and ON 1t may be stamp
ed the date and whatever legend is desired The
home OF a growing family may thus be left with
permanent monument of all the Christmases
that have passed over the heads OF the children
that have dwelt within It. When these return
to the ancestral hearth in their old age they can
recall the planting of the trees and the events
that hover about the occasion in question. Incl
dentally. the landscape will have been beauti
fed. and aside from the sentimental phase of It.
much yauable timber produced.
The Christmas tree industry of the United
States has assumed great proportions and Uncle
Sam is making plans to place the industry upon
a permanently profitable basis through reforest
ing large areas. Incidentally the new industry
has furnished an opportunity for hundreds oil
boys and girls to their Christmas money in
new way by harvesting the cones OF evergreen
trees
OF the nations forest land, 60,000000 acres
are today covered with mature timber while
100000 acres are well seeded with younl
growth. This leaves 100.000O00 acres that arr
either nonproductive or only partly productive
1t is for this 100000 900 acres that seed are t.
be gathered, and It is upon this vast expans,
that they are to be planted until the whole Il
developed into its greatest possible yielding capa
city, making it of the finest forests that the
world has ever known.