The Neshoba Democrat., 1912-12-12
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usage cannot be traced back farther than the six
teenth century. 1t then existed only in the Rhine
valley, to which narrow limits 1t was restricted
for more than 200 years At the opening of the
nineteenth century 1t spread to the rest of Ger
many, and fifty years later had reached Bohemia,
hungary Paris and England. German immigrants
mad already brought the custom to our own coun.
try and here 1t has become popular that the
supply Of trees in the city markets is never equal
to the demand
Linking the present with the dim past of un-
numbered centuries, there will this Christmas be
displayed in American homes 100000 evergreen
trees. There about 20,0000OO families in the
United States, and one in four Of these will make
the Christmas tree a part of the celebration that
Is at hand. This does not mean that only these
will participate in the festivities of the season,
for there is still the stocking method of dspens-
ing gifts. But in this great number of homes 1t
has become the custom to use the trees in &C.
cordance with the oldfashioned custom of sturdy
rural Germany.
New York the metropolis of the nation, uses
far more Christmas trees than any other city In
the world. Yet the city is so admirably located
from the standpoint of available forests that the
supply Is always abundant and prices low A
quarter Of a million Christmas trees each year
brought to New York, and all of them are sold
during the week before Christmas. Over on
Riverside Drive where are the homes of the
wealthy expensive trees are sold. These are
eaborately prepared, often being specially grown
for the purpose and bring prices as high as $50
Yet the East Side gets It's due proportion and SO
abundant is the supply that good shrubs may be
had for rs cents and 50 cents The little trees
grow quickly and the farmers are often glad to
have them cleared of their land. As result the
people who count the pennies closely find the
Christmas green's within their reach
Father Knckerbocker lives right In the midst
OF the most productive Christmas tree section
The state Of New York yields them abundantlv
Straight down from the Adrondacks they come
IN trainload lots Northern Pennsylvania also
produces them without stint, and so are all the
nearby cities guaranteed an abundance All
through New England there is a general use Of
the Christmas tree.
For month past there have been hundreds Of
men preparing the Christmas tree harvest for
the youngsters who dwell in the towns and cities
IN the smaller communities provided the region
produces the right sort of trees the farmer him
SELF cuts them down and brings them to market
he sells these trees to market men to grocers
TO florists and decorators. They are bought from
MIN by the wagonload and cost little Then thew
are properly prepared and set upon the sidewalk
But preparation for the larger markets are dif
Ierent In the hills around the greater cities
making ready for Christmas is begun two months
perore the arrival Of the day to be celebrated
IN Maine, for instance, the men 60 out in gangs
OF four. They know their business for thew have
gathered this self-same harvest for a generation
They have bought the trees as they stand in the
held, paying the farmer five cents each for them
The butt Of the tree is sawed Off smoothly and
panied over In order that the sap may be re-