The Raymer enterprise., 1912-12-12

usage cannot be traced back farther than the six.
teenth century. 1t then existed only in the Rhine
valley. to which narrow limits It 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
had already brought the custom to our own coun-
try and here 1t has become so 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 Chgstmas be
displayed in American homes 5000, 900 evergreen
trees There are about 100000 families In the
United States. and one In four of these will make
the Christmas tree part Of the celebration that
10 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 dIspens.
Ing gifts. But In this great number Of homes It
has become the custom to use the trees In &C.
cordance with the old-fashloned 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 Che standpoint Of available forests that the
supply is always abundant and prices low. A
quarter Of million Christmas trees are 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
elaborately prepared. often being specially grown
for the purpose and bring prices as high as $50.
Yet the East SIDE gets Its due proportion. and so
abundant Is the supply that good shrubs may be
had for rs cents and so 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 nnd the
Christmas green's within their reach
Father Knickerbocker lives right In the midst
Of the most productive Christmas tree section.
The state Of New York yields them abundantly.
Straight down from the Adirondacks 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 hundrads Of
men preparing the Christmas tree harvest for
the youngsters who dwell in the towns and cities
In tho 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
him BY the wagonload and cost little. Then they
are properly prepared and set upon the sidewalk.
But preparation for the larger markets are dr.
ferent. In the hills around the greater cities
making ready for Christmas ia begun two months
before the arrival Of the day to be celebrated.
In Maine for instance. the men 20 out in gangs
Of four They know their business, for they have
gathered this selfsame harvest for a generation.
They have bought the trees a. they stand In the
Held, paying tho farmer hve cents each for them.
The butt Of tho tree 10 sawed on smoothly and
painted over In order that the sap may be re-