The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-12-24
HUNTING MISTLET0E
Christmas Greens Harvested
With Aid of Guns.
But It Is Better to Climb for II as
Seekers Have Learned-Open
Season Begins Early in
December.

&S1A 81 aim and fired into the high
&S&6s1fJ er branches of swamp elm.
N&@lG Only a bunch of foliage, cut
from its supporting Dough
BY the charge of bird shot, fell a yard
or so away.
Missed him." was the half Queried
comment of "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 flecked with waxen
berries and threw into 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 day or 30 before Christ
mas, or, in the lean years, until the
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 it 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 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 are growing more
discriminating and pay top prices for
well-preserved green's only, the market
varying day by day according to the
quantity offered.
The true mistletoe Is European
evergreen, but it's American cousin
resembles it 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 it sometimes is
found growing in the oaks and other
forest varieties. Along the Pacific
coast it frequently is taken from oak
trees, although the yield in that re.
gion is not prolific.
The mistletoe played conspicuous
part in mythology. 1t 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 doomsdsy of the world, so runs
the old Morse legend.
Among the Druids and the Celts the
mistletoe found growing upon an oal
was believed to possess powers Of
healing for many ills as we'll as being
potent for the working of magic
charms, Small bits of berries were
brewed into love philters for prejudic
ing the passions.
To the esteem in which the mistle
toe was held is directly traceable 6
certain old English custom which sur
wives today. At the Christmas tide
every ardent swain who meath its
shadow levies tribute of a kiss and
each half-resisting maid who pays
may know their hearts only bow tc
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.
! fnn Juou