Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-21
MAINE TREES
FOR CHRISTMAS
IN THE CITIES
Oar Harbor Times.1

Ihls is the season when the far,,,ou -
certain sections of Maine are hus,, ,,...
erlng trees for shipment to the ,arce 81,
,.s FROM small beginnings the trade in
1nane christmas trees has grown to be
OH INDUSTRY OF considerable importance
anu OF great profit to class of neonle
"ho' especially at the approach of win
Ter, need the money"
Gnu! ~ or IL years ago the balsam fl,
OF the cold northern woods was consia
ereo the most worthless tree that a,,o.
grew. 1t was as prolific as anv wood ava
DIS haroy as burdock It grew m low,
'na' "ouio raise no other crop; no ANNA,
Va with UT pug would eat of its foIiaee
"i'u "heh IL was once started in a tbicL.
Ct no other tree or shrub had any chance
10 come IN and supplant it,, The WOOD
was valueless for timber and mada ,oo.
fuel. Except for rank smelling ,,,ro:a
oaIsam, which formed in blisters hollow,
INC Dark ana which was used as a reme
ny ior coughs and colds. the fir was
wholly outside the pale of utility. YET y
was one OF the prettiest and most thrifty
trees mat grew. having a dense foliage
VI hVing green and shape as taperinp
ana symmetrical as church spire.
WE'VE years ago party of hunters
returning In steam yacht from carl.
oou hunt In Newfoundland, called at sar.
seheVllle' on the eastern shore of Penon.
SCOT say and took ride inland to visit
some abandoned copper and lead mines in
hiueniii. The leaves had fallen from th.
deciduous trees, causing the dark ever
greens to stand out in bold relief against
the neutral background Of browns and
grays. Stretching back from the ro.d-
side and sweeping over hill and valley
were tens Of thousands Of young frs in
the full figure Of rampant growth.
The owner Of the yacht looked at them
carefully and came to the conclusion thar
they would make ideal Christmas trees
much better than the scrubby, irregular
pines that were then in use. He hired
some men and horses and loaded the deck
OF the yacht with about 800 trees. and
took them to Boston as speculation.
When the cargo Of trees was taken up
IN front OF FAnueil hall, Boston. thu
marketmen fell over one another In their
haste to get the Christmas frs. The en-
tire lot was sold out at great proflt and
the marketmen clamored for moro,
The next year $1,000 trees were taken
to Boston from the shores Of Hancocy,
county. chiefly from Castine, Oriand and
Bluehill
The third season. trees were sent 70
New York and sold like hot cakes there.
At the end Of four years the average
shipment Of Maine frs was 1000, 1000 trees a
year. Last season more than 100000
were sent away. This seasons shipments
VIII probably reach 1.75o.coo
Although the cutting, trimming. bind.
Ing and shipment of Christmas trees IA a
laborious task. the Maine farmers make
the occasion an autumnal holiday. manv
OF them taking their families to the edge
OF the forest and eating their midday
meal around the blazing fire that roars
and sparkles in the midst of their labor,
One man cuts the sizeable trees close to
the ground A boy or strong girl cuts
away with sharp Ratchet a few dead
limbs at ue base. A woman and a how
or TWO women put the trees into bundles
or Il and tie them firmly together with |
strong cords. and a large boy or a man
drives the team which hauls the load IN
the wharf or railroad station.