The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-12-23
MlSTlET0E
Christmas Greens Harvested
With Md OF Guns.
But II Is Better TO climb for u az
Seekers Have Learned-open
Season Begins Early In
December.

GGlE :, aim aud fired into the high
NA~1 or branches of a swamp elm.
MNAN Only a bunch OF foliage. cut
from It's supporting bough
by the charge OF bird shot. fell a yard
or so away.
'Shiissed him." was the half duoried
comment OF a "tcndcrfoot' who had
strained his eyes in vain to sec the
object Of the shot.
Missed nothing" came the reioin'
der.
"Shootin' green's" he added by way
Of explanation. He picked up the
clump OF leaves necked with waxcn
berries and threw into II gunny sack
three or four pounds % mistletoe. the
reward Of his craftsmanship.
The oper. season for mistlctoe be.
| .,ins early in December. according to
the Kansas City star, and continues
until only n day or 80 before Christ
mas, or, in the lean years. until tho
crop Is exhausted. The old method Of
shooting mistletoe has boon in large
part displaced, however, by agile boys
who earn mems wages by climbing for
the crop and carrying II 10 .he ground
In sacks slung from their shoulders
That preserves the foliage beauty bv
leaving the berries intact. When the
boughs are harvested by the shot.
gun method the charge Jars many Of
the globules from their tiny stems and
the fall to earth but adds to the havoc.
Mistletoe jobbers a"e growing more
discriminating and pay top prices for
well.preserved greens only, the market
varying day by day according 20 the
quantity offered.
The true mistletoe Is n European
evergreen, but its American cousIn
resembles II so closely as TO banie 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.llke 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. Hut II sometimes In
found growing In the oaks and other
forest varieties. Along the Pacific
Goa. II frequently Is taken from oak
trees. although the yield In that re-
gion ls not prolific.
The mlstletoe played n conspicuous
part in mythology. II 10 symboilcal OF
the spear with which iIotherus took
the life OF Balder, the white sungod
OF summer. who shall be resurrected
ut Raganarok, twilight OF the gods
and doomsday OF the world, 80 runs
the old Morse legend.
Among the Druids and the Celts the
mistletoe found growing upon an oal
was believed To possess powers O
healing for many ills as well as bein,
potent for the working OF magi,
charms. Small bits OF berries wer,
brewed into love philters for prelude
Ing the passions.
To the esteem In which the missile
toe was held is directly tracsable
certain old English custom which SUI
wives today. Al the Christmas It'd,
every ardent swain who meath Il
shadow levies tribute Of q kiss an,
each half.resisting maid who pays
may know their hearts only bow 4
rites centuries old and born whei
Yule logs fickered through candle
lighted halls on wintry nights: whel
fairies ruled: wheii imagery bel,
sway: when mountain gods gave ours
or blessing and tribute 70 the mistle
toe was a sacrament.