The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-12-06
CHRISTMAS
TREE CROP
Is the Largest Ever Known,
Being About 100000
in New England
DEALERS DO NOT
GET FAIR PRICE
As Compared. With the
Price Paid By the
Consumer

Boston, Dec. 6 (By the Associated
Press A Christmas tree crop OF more
than a million and half Of evergreen
trees, spruce, fir and hemloek, has beer
cut in the forests and pastures of New
England for the approaching holiday
observances east of the Mississippi riv
err. The crop is the largest ever. II
dealers estimates are correct more
homes and more communities will bios
som with this flower of the Christina;
spirit than ever before.
The movement to market the Christ
mas trees, some still spangled with the
snow of northern country sides, is un'
der way, and figures on the cut are
fairly complete From the forests OF
Maine 100000 trees have been taken
In Vermont it is estimated about 300,
900 were felled and the reports Of the
state forester of New Hampshire show
shipment of approximately 100000
The southern section of New England
cuts much less, the crop from the Berk.
shires in Massachusetts being probably
about $4,000 and in Rhode Island and
Connecticut combined about $4,000.
On the stump these trees have been
sold by the farmer or woodland owner
for few cents each, large lots selling
at $25 and $50 thousand Smaller
numbers, usually taken from pastures
where the trees attain a more shape
ly growth, bring as high az 80 cents
each in some instances. Prices to the
growers have been generally higher
this year than last They represent,
however, only small part of the cost
to the Christmas consumer who viii
pay between 81 and SO each for the av-
erage tree. A statement on the Christ
mas tree industry prepared by the New
Hampshire forestry department for the
Associated Press asserts that lit is not
fair to the farmer to give him only a
few cents for trees which bring several
dollars when sold at retail in the city.
The department regards the Christ
mas tree industry as legitimate and
says it is not Objectionable if the land
owner receives a fair value for his
trees and the cutting is scattered and
confined to the right size Of trees. The
custom of setting up evergreens at
Yuletide is gaining rather than losing
strength, if the reports of the number
OF trees cut are a criterion and the New
Hampshire forester predicts that AT
no distant date the growing of trees
near large centers of consumption will
become the practice"
1t is long haul to some of the mar
kets for trees cut in the forests of the
north country. Some trees are en- route
a fortnight or more.
From New England the cut of more
than million and half trees goes to
Chicago, st. Louis, Pittsburgh, Mil
waukee, Philadelphia, New York, Cleve-
land and other points as far west as
the Mississippi.
There has been picturesque process
sion of evergreens for several days
from northern forests or hill town
farms through the wood roads covered
with snow to the rail siding.
The cutters have had to go farther
into the woods each year. and western
Maine is reported to be 80 nearly cut
over that operations in that state have
turned largely to the eastern counties
of Knox and Washington.
From the little town Of East Fair.
field, VT, alone, 10000 trees are being
shipped to points in Pennsylvania,
Ohio and Illinois.