Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1915-12-22
HUNTING M|STlETOE
Christmas Greens Harvested
With Aid Of Guns.
But u 10 Better to Climb for u a.
Seekers Have Learned-open
Season Begins Early In
December.

N0I he nunter TOOK deliberate
N0I1 aim and fred into the high
Sk er branches Of q swamp elm
N0DV Only bunch of foliage, cut
from It's supporting bough
by the charge Of bird shot, fell a yard
or SO away.
Missed him?" was the half queries
comment Of q ''tenderfoot" who had
strained his eyes In vain to see the
object Of the shot.
Missed nothing" came the rejoin.
der.
"Shootin' green's" he added by way
Of explanation. He picked up the
clump Of leaves hecked with waxen
berries and threw into Q gunny sack
three or four pounds o. mistletoe, the
reward Of his craftsmanship.
The open season for mistletoe be.
gins early in December. according to
the Kansas City Star. and continues
until only q day or so before Christ.
mas, or, in the lean years. until tho
crop is exhausted. The old method OF
shooting" mistletoe has been in large
part displaced, however. by agile boys
who earn mems wages by climbing for
the crop and carrying II to the ground
in sacks slung from their shoulders.
That preserves the foliage beauty by
leaving the berries intact When the
boughs are harvested" BY he shot
gun method the charge Jars 'aany or
the globules from their tiny stehs and
the fall > earth but adds to the havoc.
Mistl IT 70 jobbers are growing more
discriminating and pay top prices for
well.preserved greens only, the market
varying day by day according to the
quantity offered.
The true mistletoe II European
evergreen, but its American cousin
resembles II SO closely as to battle all
but botanists. The leaves are OF the
same yellowish green and the bios
SONS. alike in color, give way in turn
to the wax.like berries. Both are
parasites, growing on the boughs Of
deciduous trees.
Apple trees. poplars. naples and
elms seem to best support the vege-
table barnacle. But II sometimes is
found growing in the oaks and other
forest varieties. Along the Pacific
coast II frequently Is taken from oak
trees. although the yield In that re-
gion is not prolific.
The mlstletoe played Q conspicuou.
part In mythology. II Is symbolical OF
the spear with which Hotherus took
the life of Balder. the white sungod
Of summer. who shall be resurrected
at Raganarok. twilight OF the gods
and doomsday of the world, 30 runs
the old Morse legend.
Among the Druids and the Celts the
mistletoe found growing upon an oak
was believed to possess powers Of
healing for many Ills as well as being
potent for the working OF magic
charms. Small bits OF berries were
brewed into love philters for prelude,
ing the passions.
To the esteem in which the mlstle
toe was held is directly traceable
certain old English custom which sur.
wives today. At the Christmas tide
every ardent swain who meath its
shadow levies tribute of q kiss and
each half-resisting maid who pays,
may know their hearts only bow to
rites centuries old and born when
Yule logs fiickered through candle
lighted halls on wintry nights: when
fairies ruled: when imagery held
sway; when mountain gods gave curse
or blessing and tribute to the mistle-
toe was a sacrament.