The copper era and Morenci leader., 1921-12-23
THE CHRISTMAS TREE HARVEST

Albuquerque, N. M, Dec. 22-The great winter harvest is at hand. It is a crop requiring from to 50 years to ripen Arriving late by single day it is worthless, yet it's failure would mean sadness and disappoint- ment to all the dwellers in child hoodland. It is the Christmas tree.
 The history of Christmas tree usage extends far into the mists of antiquity and it's origin is difficult to trace. Some say it is connected with. the legendary Tree of Time. Ygdracil. the great tree of Morse mythology, within whose roots and branches heaven and earth are bound Some say the custom may be traced to the Egyptians who, at the time of winter solstice, dec orated their portals with branches of the date palm-the symbol of life triumphant over death.
 An ancient legand of the Scandin- avians relates how the Christmas tree owes it's origin to the service tree' which sprang from soil once drenched with the blood of two slain lovers, and how each night during the Christmas season mysterious lights played. among it's branches. To this legend may perhaps be traced our custom of Illuminating the tree when darkness comes. Among the Greeks, Christmas is known as the feast of lights.
 To people of different localities the term Christmas tree may mean fir, spruce, pine, cedar, or even mag nolia, for each region makes use of the most suitable species found near it's markets. In the vicinity of Chi cago a short-needle pine found in Michigan and Wisconsin may be used. On the Pacific Coast the white fir finds favor, while throughout Ohio, Norway spruce is largely used. In Maryland and Virginia the scrub pine finds it's way into, many homes, and farther south cedar and holly.
 But the Christmas tree de luxe is the balsam fir. Of little use for lumber, it possess ideal characterist- ics for holiday purposes beautiful and symmetrical with long horizon tai branches and deep green foliage, each tiny leaf and bud of which sends out breath of aromatic fragrance.
 Yearly a crusade is started against the Christmas tree idea, usually pro- testing the waste of timber and the
  growth through their removal. The Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, in an- swer to these protests, points out that 5.O00,00O Chrictmas trees are used annually within the United States. New England and New York take 100000 trees, amounting to some 500 carloads Each year a Christ mas tree fleet" makes it's way down Lake Michigan, with an evergreen | tree at the mast of each vessel in | token of the cargo it carries.
 | Five million trees of the size used for the holiday festival could be grown on 5000 acres of land. The 1 lumber industry cuts over a thousand | times this acreage in a Single year. ] If on December 26, 1921. all the Ma tion's timber cutters should begin work ? hours late, the resulting de crease in acreage, annually cut would be equal to the area exploited by the Christmas tree industry for the en tire year.
 The annual cutting of 5,0O0,0OC trees is insignificant as compared with the loss through forest fires which each year sweeps over 12,OO0, I 900 acres, causing: a yearly wastage of about S20, 0,000,O0O.
 I In addition, it is pointed out that the lands from which large portion of the trees are taken are ofteT more suitable for pasture and are 1 more valuable after the timber croI has been removed than they were before. In the European forest the removal of Christmas trees is made to serve the welfare of the forest: when at the holiday season the cut