Las Vegas optic., 1914-12-12
TREES
Will BE Used
CHRISTMAS
THE FOREST SUPERVISORS VIEW
W ITH ALARM LOSS OF
YOUNG TREES

Chicago, Dec, 12.-rully five mil
ions of Christmas trees are being cut
IN the forests of Maine, Vermont,
Michigan and Wisconsin, the Catskills
and the Berkshires, and in all wood
lots where evergreen trees grow. This
toll exacted for Yuletide joy, brings
alarm to the forest bureaus, who view
the ever-increasing demand on the
young trees that spring forth to re-
place the depleted forests kings that
have fallen under the axeman's blows.
Chicago children have special in
terest in the gathering of their trees
this year for the adventure of cutting
the Christmas trees falls this year to
a woman, Mrs. Barbara Schuenemann,
who is completing in the wind-swept
woods of northern Michigan the cut
ting of the cargo which is to brighten
the homes here A grimy tragedy of
the Christmas Ship" which was wont
to bring the cargo Of trees from Mich
igan to Chicago, is still remembered,
with great vividness, for it was only
two years ago that Captain Herman
Schuenemann, with nis crew of IL
men went down in the Christmas ship,
the Rouse Simmons, off Washington
island and no trace of either the boat
or crew was ever found So this year
the captains widow led another gang
OF woodsmen into the forests Assist
ed by her three daughters she has
been carrying on the business. She
sailed with her crew oI nusky woods
men in the two-masted schooner
Lucky and within a week the Lucky
! is due to return with her happy wom-
an captain and her cargo of Christmas
trees. While the little vessel is plow-
ing its way home the three daughters,
Elsie, Hazel and Pearl, are busily
preparing for the distribution of the
4 trees.
4 The gathering of five million Christ
mas trees this year rs a desecration
III the eyes of Uncle Sans forest ex-
perts. They believe that the effect
lis very bad on the future timber sup
ply. 1t is pointed out that if the
woodlands were under proper fores-
TRY management, no harm would he
done, for the yearly thinning from the
forests would more than satisfy even
a greater market demand for Christ
mas trees.
Every kind Of cone-bearing tree is
used for Yuletide purposes. the par
ticular variety depending upon the
locality. Firs and spruces are the
most popular, with the pines and ce-
dars in second place. The fir, how
ever, is the best OF all Christmas trees
and I'M the northern and eastern states
is used to the exclusion of almost
everything else. In the markets of
New York and Philadelphia, however,
the black spruce is the favorite. In
Maryland Virginia and the District
OF Columbia the scrub Virginia pine
is commonly used. In southern Wyom-
ing and Colorado the lodgepole pine
is almost the only confer available.
III California the incense cedar and
even the redwood are frequently used.
The Christmas trees vary in size
from five to 35 feet in height. The
, smaller trees bring about 25 cents
each in the cities; those from six to
: ten feet high 81 or more, while in
J New York large, shapely trees sell
from SIS to $50, and trees 35 feet high
often bring $35 each. 1t is remark
J able fact, however, that those who
J gather the trees receive very little
for their effort. For crees that bring
81 the farmers get from to 10 cents;
and they consider themselves very
lucky to get as high as 15 or 20 cents
for the most perfect trees. A good
deal Of dissatisfaction has been voiced
this year by the cutters, who are de-
manding larger prices from the deal
ers, and this may result in an increas-
ed price to the buyers at the markets
this year