Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-12-20
Possibility That Holly May Become
Extinct
VERMONT FURNISHES The MOST

less some means are taken to repro
duce them. The state Of Vermont
alone furnishes five million trees for
the eastern markets each Christmas
time and unless means are taken TO
conserve and reproduce the supply
some time will be exhausted The
American Forestry association has is:
sued a Christmas tree monograph on
the subject.
1.-THE first step to save the Christ
mas green's" it says, sis better fire
prevention methods. Wholesale cutting
| by vendors who never go into the
woods except at this season and the
'holdup' prices in big cities are de-
nounced. On the other hand proper
cutting aids the growth of the larger
trees and IL properly done is help.
The holly Is being cut by the unthink-
ing in way that borders on slaughter,
and only the light sort Of cutting will
save the valuable green for the holi-
day season.
"Ten of the 25 kinds Of fr trees
found in the world are native to North
America, eight occur in the Pacific
slopes and in the Rocky mountain re-
gions, and only two are found in the
eastern United States. and one of
these-Fraser's Fir-is limited to the
high mountains of Virginia, North
Carolina and Tennessee. Most impor-
tant in the western group are the
Grand Fir, Nobel Fir. White Fir and
Red Fir. The Balsam Fir is unques-
tionably the best kind and most wide
ly distributed of our native furs. 1t
Is one of the most beautiful evergreen
trees native to North America. 1t
frequents bogs. swamps. and other
wet places. Among it's chief associates
are the American Larch, Arbor/ Vitae,
Black Spruce and Red Spruce. Its
companion species are not many for
few trees can withstand the extreme
wet and cold conditions of our north
ern bogs and swamps.
"The Balsam fir is a tree which sat
isfcs many human wants, but the
greatest of all its gifts Is the Christ
mas tree. AS Christmas tree 1t has
no superior, and in many localities no
other native tree has Christmas tree
qualities that ever approach ii. The
European Fir, so common throughout
many parts of Continental Europe
has many characteristics in common
with our Balsam Fir. II, too, has been
used for centuries as a Christmas tree.
The similarity between these two
trees is very marked which may have
helped develop our high regard for
the Balsam Fir and rate ii as the fore
most Christmas tree Of the eastern
United States.
ION the trunk of the Balsam will he
found a large number OF little blister
sacs of balsam. \ finger nail Will
puncture the little blsters and there
will flow a small quantity Of balsam,
as clear as crystal. When refined, this
is used in making microscopic slides
I'm our scientific laboratories. 1t Is
used chiefly 10 attach cover glass TO
the slides. Balsam is also regarded as
an excellent medicine.
Cones and buds Of the Balsam Fir
are also very distinctive. The buds
arc almost round, about one-sixth of
an inch long. clustered at the end OF
the twig and appear to be covered
with a coating of varnsh. The cones
are from two to four inches long, cy-
lindrical, and stand erect on the twiGs.
Their scales fall soon after they reach
maturity and leave a bare central axis.
This Is an unusual habit among ever
green trees. In the NOrthwOOds many
collect the leaves and use them in fill
ing pillows ard cushions for the leaves
when dried emit n very fragrant odor.
The wood is soft, does not contain re-
sin passages and ranges in color from
white to brown. 1t weighs about "A
! pounds per cubic foot and is used eX-
tensively in the manufacture of paper
pulp. crates and packing boxes.
"There are twenty kinds of Spruce
trees ard they are found in every
country in the northern hemisphere.
Eight are native to North America,
three being found in the eastern part
! and five in the western part.
Deep green leaves which are arm
ed with spines along the margin dis
| tinguish Christmas Holly. The leaves
are so bright and they often reflect
| light as mirrors. The small bright red
berries are also helpful means OF
! Identification in fall and in winter An
old manuscript in the British Museum
states that the Holy hath berys as
red as any rose" Devout people re-
gard the leaves of the Holly as a sym
bol of the Saviors crown of thorns.
Unfortunately the methods of COL
lccting the branches is very destruc-
tive. In many instances the tops OF
the trees arc cut out completely, lcaN-
| ing nothing but an erect bare trunk
We need the holly sprig for decora
tive purposes at Christmas, but in or
der that a future supply may he in
sured, special steps must he taken ut
/ opcn to rnnulatp tho cutting in such q