The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-12-24
Gathering Of Christmas
Trees I lard On Forests

Chicago, DEG. 14.-Fully five mil. |
lions of Christmas trees are being
cut in the forests of Maine, Vermont, |
Michigan and Wisconsin, the Cats
kills and the Berkshires. and in all
wood lots where evergreen trees grow.
This toll exacted for Yuletide joy
brings alarm to the forest bureaus,
which view the ever-increasing de-
mand on the young trees that spring
forth to replace the depleted forest
kings that have fallen under the axe
mans blows.
Chicago children have a special in
terest in the gathering of their trees
this year, for the adventure of cut
ting the Christmas trees falls this
year to woman, Mrs. Barbara
Schuenemann, who is completing in
the wind-swept woods of northern
Michigan tho cutting Of the cargo
which is to brighten the homes here.
A grim tragedy of the Christmas
ship" which was wont to bring the
cargo of trees from Michigan to Chi.
cago, is still remembered, for it was
only two years ago that Captain Her
man Schuenemann, with his crew of
eleven men went down in the Christ.
mas 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 Assisted by her
three daughters sho has been carry
ing on the business. She sailed with
her crew of husky woodsmen in the
two-masted schooner Lucky and with
in week the Lucky is due to return
with her happy woman captain and
her cargo of Christmas trees. While
the little vessel is plouehing it's way
home, the three daughters, Elsie, Ha-
eel and Pearl, are busily preparing
for the distribution of the trees.
The gathering of the five million
Christmas trees this year is a desc
Grafton IN the eyes of Uncle Sans
forest experts. They believe that the
effect is very bad on the future tim
Ter supply. 1t is pointed out that if
the woodlands were under a prope,
forestry management, no harm would
be done, for the yearly thinning from
the forests would more than satisfy
even a greater market demand for
Christmas 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 CO
dars in second place. The fir, how
ever is the best of all Christmas
trees and in the northern and eastern
states is used to the exclusion of al
most everything else. In the markets
OF New York and Philadelphia, how
ever, tho black spruce is the favorite.
In Maryland. Virginia and the Dis.
trict of Columbia, the scrub Virginia
pine is commonly used. In Southern
Wyoming and Colorado the lodgopole
pine is almost the only confer avail
able. In California the incense cedar
and even the redwood are frequently
used.
The Christmas trees vary in size
from five to thirtyiive feet in hcgif..
The smaller trees bring about % cents
each in the cities; those from six to
ten feet high one dollar or more,
while in New York. large shapely
trees sell from IS to $50. and trees
thirty-fivc feet high often bring $35
each. 1t is remarkable fact, how
ever, that those who gather the trees
receive very little for their effort.
For trees that bring 81 the farmers
get from to 10 cents; and they con-
slider themselves very lucky to get
&C high as Is or 20 cents for the
most perfect trees. A good deal of
dissatisfaction has been voiced this
year by the cutters. who are demand
ing larger prices from the dealers,
and this may result in an increased
price to the buyers at the markets
this year.
Alarmists predict that as a conse-
quence of the limited earth surface
and the rapid increase Of population
starvation will ultimately come The