The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1921-12-15
The CHRISTMAS TREE
HARVEST
Removal of Thick Growth Bene-
ficial and Source of
Revenue to u. S.

! The time of the great winter har
vest is at hand, reports the U. S
forest service. 1t bears a crop re
quiring from five to so years to ripel
Arriving late by a single day it i.
worthless, yet its failure would meal
sadness and disappointment to all the
dwellers in schildhoodland 1t is tn.
Christmas tree.
The history Of Christmas tree usage
extends far into the mists Of antiquity
and its origin is difficult to trace
Some say it is connected with the
legendary Tree of time, Ygdrasil, the
great tree of Morse mythology, within
whose roots and branches heaven and
earth are bound. Some say the Gus
tom may be traced to the Egyptians
who at the time of winter soIstice
decorated their portals with branches
of the date palm-the symbol of life
triumphant over death.
An ancient legend of the Scandina-
vians relates how the Christmas tree
owes its origin to the Service tree
which sprang from soil once drenched
with the blood of two slain lovers ana
how each night during the Christmas
season mysterious lights played
among its branches. To this legend
may perhaps be traced our custom Of
Illuminating the tree when darkness
comes. Among the Greeks, Christmas
is shown as the feast of lights.
To people of different localities the
term Christmas tree may mean fir,
spruce, pine, cedar, or even magnolia,
for each region makes use of the most
suitable species found near its mar
kets. In the vicinity of Chicago
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 vir-
ginia the scrub pine finds its way IN
to many homes, and farther south
cedar and holly.
But the Christmas tree de luxe is
the balsam fir. Of little use for lum-
Der, 1t possesses ideal characteristics
for holiday purposes-beautifW and
symmetrical with long horizontal
branches and deep green foliage, each
tiny leaf and bud of which sends out
breath of aromatic fragrance.
Yearly crusade is started against
krn
testing the waste of timber and the
destruction caused to young growth
through their removal The for
est service in answer to these protests
points out that million Christmas
trees are used annually within the
United States. The New England
states and New York alone consume
a million and half trees, amounting
to some 500 carloads. Each year a
Christmas tree fleet" makes its way
down Lake Michigan with a 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 is, relatively
speaking, drop in the bucket, forest
ers state, for that number could be |
grown on 5000 acres of land. The !
lumber industry cuts over a thousand /
times this acreage in a single year. |
If on December 26, 1921, the nations /
timber cutters should begin work two
hours late, the resulting decrease in 1
acreage annually cut would be equal 4
70 the area exploited by the Christ 1
mas tree industry for the entire year. i
The annual cutting of 5 million 4
.rees IS insignificant as compared 4
With the loss through forest fires
which each year sweeps over IL mil
ion acres causing a yearly wastage
# about $40, ,OOO, 900.
In addition, it is pointed out that
he lands from which large portion
# the trees is taken is often more
for pasture and is more val
lable after the timber crop has been
emoved than it was before. In the
European forests the removal of
christmas trees is made to serve the
Welfare of the forests when at the
loliday season the cutting of the
mall trees is in the nature Of an i'm
lrovement thinning and ut the same
ine \ source of revenue. The re- B
noval of Christmas trees from our
wn National Forests, under the su-
ervision of forest Officers, places q
idy sum in the nations pocket each
ear and results in more healthy /,
nd faster growing stand Of timber /
It has been demonstrated that by
utting Christmas trees of certain
vergreen species above the lower !
'horl of branches the remaining
mbs turn abruptly upward and often ,
zach height of feet in less than .
years If = crop Of Christmas trees
IN be cut without actually destroy {
lg the parent tree and new crop v
orouted within 2 or 3 years, the sys- I
m may become of considerable econ !
mic importance to the industry. I,
But SO far rs discontinuing the
hristmas tree is concerned, the for
tiers are against it. Their creed is I
J put each acre of ground and every Q
ee to its highest use, and to what Z
.tter use can tree be put, they ask, !
an to bring joy to the hearts of our !