Great Falls tribune., 1921-12-04
WASHINGTON,

washington, -. C.t NOV. GA idfSe
part of the state of Vermont is now
practically great Christmas tree farm
according to the American Forestry
association, and one which is being
badly overworked. This state furnishes
annually about 100000 trees for dec
orative purposes. These trees are by
far the most profitable crop which
many hill sections of the state can
grow, but unless the cutting is better
regulated, the association says, the
lcrop viii boAexhausted. Reforestation
| of large areas and better fire protec-
| ton are also needed.
| The association gives us most In
| teresting account of all the evergreen
plants which suddenly invade the cities
| about this tine of year. Christmas
trees, it says, are mostly either frs or
spruces. The balsam fir is unques-
| tionably the best known and most
widely distributed of our native frs.
! It is one of the most beautiful ever
green trees native to North America.
| It frequents bogs, swamps and other
wet places. The balsam fir is tree
which satisfies many human wants, but
| the greatest of all it's gifts is the
| Christmas tree. As Christmas tree
| it has no superior.
The European fir, so common
throughout many parts OF continental
Europe, has many characteristics III
common with our balsam fir. 1t, too,
has been used for centuries as a
Christmas tree.
Careful examination of the trunk OF
the balsam will reveal a large number
of little blister-like sacs of balsam. II
one takes a knife and punctures them
the balsam will flow freely. This bal
sam, when refined, is used in our scien-
tlfic laboratories to attach cover glass
to microscopic slides. Balsam is re
garded as an excellent medicine for
the treatment of throat and rulmon-
ary troubles. Many mountaineers col
lect the balsam from the bisters on
family use. 1t is q common practice
in the north woods to collect large
quantities of balsaIn leaves and use
them in filling pillows and cushions,
for the leaves when dried emit a very
fragrant balsam odor. The wood Is
soft. does not contain resin passages
and ranges in color from white to
brown. It weighs about "a pounds per
cubic foot and is used extensively in
the manufacture Of paper pulp, crates
and packing boxes.
There are 20 different kinds of
spruce trees in the world. All Of them
are beautiful evergreen trees. They
occur In every country in the northern
hemisphere. Eight of them are ma
tive Of North America, three being
found in the eastern part and five in
the western part of the country.
What Holly Is
The Christmas holly can readily be
recognized at all seasons of the year
by its deep green leaves which are
armed with spines along the margin.
The leaves are bright and they often
reflect light as mirrors. The small
bright red berries are also a helpful
means Of identification in fall and win
ter. An old manuscript in the British
museum states that the ''holy hath
berys as red as any rose" Devout
people regard the, leaves Of the holly
as a symbol of the Savior's crown of
thorns.
The holly wreath is attractive and
popular, but unfortunately the methods
Of collecting the branches are very de-
structive. In many instances the tops
Of the trees are cut out completely,
trunk. We need the holly sprig for
|0CNQAUNANV PAARVSSS ~ ShAASSAA0Ss tAO
American Forestry association says,
but in order that future supply may
be insured. special steps must be tax
en- at once to regulate the cutting in
such way that all the existing trees
may continue to produce annually an
abundant supply Of thrifty branchlets.
The American holly, also called
Christmas holly, and the closely relat-
cd European holly, are linked insep-
arably with our Christmas traditions.
Many people are familiar with the holly
leaves and berries. but few of them
know that they grow upon trees that
are common in the costal plain regions
Of the south and found locally rs far
north as Pennsylvania and along the
Atlantic coast to southern Maine.
While the Christmas holly may reach
a height Of 30 feet and diameter Of
q to 3 feet in Arkansas and Texas. 1t
rarely exceeds 20 feet in height and