The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-05
THE CHRISTMAS TREE HARVEST


It Is a crop requiring from to so years
day 1t IS worthless, yet it's failure
would mean sadness and disappoint-
ment to all dwellers in childhoodland.
It is the 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 leg
endary 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 solstice,
decorated their portals with branches
of the date palm-the symbol Of life
triumphant over death.
An ancient legend Of the Scandi
navians 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 per-
haps be traced our custom Of illurni
mating 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 magnolia,
for each region makes use Of the most
suitable species found near its mar
kets. In the vicinity of Chicago 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 Vir-
ginia the scrub pine finds its way into
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-beautiful and
symmetrical with long horizontal
branches and deep green foliage, each
tiny leaf and bud of which sends out
a breath of aromatic fragrance.
Yearly a crusade is started against
the Christmas tree idea, usually pro-
testing the waste of timber and the
destruction caused to our young
growth through their removal. The
forest service of the United States de-
partment Of agriculture in answer to
these protests, points out that 5000
900 Christmas trees are used annually
within the United States. New Eng
land and New York take 100000 trees.
to some 500 carloads. Each
year a christmas tree fleet" makes
its 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 lumber
industry cuts over a thousand times
this acreage in single year. If on
Dec. 26, 1921, all the nations timber
cutters should begin work two hours
late, the resulting decrease in acreage
annually cut would be equal to the
area exploited by the Christmas tree
industry for the entire year.
The annual cutting of 5000 600 trees
is Insignificant as compared with the
loss through forest fires which each
year sweeps over 100000 acres,
causing yearly wastage of about $20.-
100000
In addition, it is pointed out that
Of the trees are taken are often more
suitable for pasture and are more vail
liable after the timber crop has been
removed than they We're before. In
the European forests the removal of
Christmas trees is made to serve the
welfare Of the forests when at the
holiday season the cutting Of the small
trees is in the nature Of an improve
ment, thinning and at the same time
a source of revenue. The removal of
Christmas trees from our own national
forests, under the supervision Of for
est officers not only places a small
profit in the nations pocket each year, !
but it results in a more healthy and
faster growing stand of timber.
1T has been demonstrated that by
cutting Christmas trees Of certain ev-
species above the lower whorl |
of branches the remaining limbs turn
abruptly upward and often reach a |
height Of six feet in less than two
years, II a crop Of Christmas trees
can be cut without actually destroying |
the parent tree and a new crop sprouts /
ed within two or three years, the sys- |
tenn may become of considerable eco
nomic Importance to the industry.
But so far as disseminating the
tree is concerned, the for |
esters are against it, Their creed is |
to put each acre of ground and every /
tree to its highest use. and to what I
better use can a tree be put, they ask T
than to bring joy to the hearts of I
on their greatest holiday.