The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1921-12-10
CUTTING CHRISTMAS TREES
IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS

How long does 1t take to grow a
Christmas tree? Ten years, yes. and
usually IN the mountain. regions Of the
West twenty years. The State OF
Wyoming requires annually some 40.-
600 Christmas trees, South Dakota 25..
600. and In the whole United States
some Is or 10 million young trees are
cut each year at the yule tide. ls 1t
any wonder then that the prOmiscuous
and destructive cutting Of the young
forests OF the country IL a source OF
alarm to many conservative citizens?
This is not without cause. for In the
past these trees have been cut from
privately owned lands and on public
domain without concern for the future
Of the forest stands. Thousands nj
young trees are taken out OF the for
ests of their own. for the Christmas
Festivities. These trees coming almost
entirely from privately owned lands
have been cut no doubt In most cases
without regard to the future OF the
forest stands and under tnc most des.
tructive methods Each owner Of pri-
vate forest lands chould feel obligated
to the future of the nation and to
himself to cut his trees wisely and
conservatively.
The Forest Service * now prepared
to offer solution Of the problem not
by the discOntinuance or restriction
of the use Of Christmas trees. Far
from 1t. for to most of us Christmas
without the tree is AZ turkey without
the dressing.
Nature In the process OF growing
forests sows the seed thickly with the
result that Oh favorable sites the young
stands of trees are too thick for rapid
growth into sawlOg and Il Il ties. The
growing OF mature timber. Of course,
IL the prime object Of the practice Of
forestry Everybody who pants q gar
len knows that the corn where 1t
cOpcs mp too thick must be thlnned
"tit while the plants are small II the
large roasting ears are 10 he grown.
left without thinning the corn be-
comes stuntcd and the ears nubbins.
50 IN the forest. II our young stands
are allowed to grow to maturity In
dense clusters or groups, the trees be-
come stuntcd with slow growth and do
not attain their maximum size for saw
'ogs and ties.
There are extensive areas In the Ma
tional Forests where the young stands
are too thick and need thinning. These
Trimmings will supply large numbers
of Christmas trees. and the remaining
trees will make more rapid growth.
This thinning must be done carefully
and wisely II the forest Is to bc I'M
proved.
Many areas In the National Forests
support young trees to 10 feet high
to the extent Of 1000 to 10000 per acre
and all are still fairly thrifty and OF
uniform size. One thousand such trees
uniformly spaced In the maximum
number which can bc left and expected
to grow into ties and sawlogs.
The Forest Service sells these trees
suited for the Christmas festivities Mt
nominal price. the receipts from 1t
going into the public treasury. all OF
which comes back to the people In form
OF maintenance and contraction Of pub
lie works In some form or another.
The public may feel assured that tho
Christmas tree with Its many joys and
glad tidings to the kiddies and grown
ups aE well is not to Ike absent in the
yulc tide festivities now or In the years
to come. The forests Of the country
will not he destroyed but instead Inn
owed made more beautiful and more
productive In the end.