Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-30
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKrN

Washington. ID. c., Nov. a7.-A
large part of the state of Vermont is
now practically ii great Christmas tree
farm, according to the American
Forestry Association. and one which
is being badly overworked. This
state furnishes annually about b,Ooo,-
600 trees for decorative purposes.
These trees are by far the most
profitable crop which many hill sec
ttons of the state can grow. but unless
the cutting is better regulated the
association says, the crop will be ex-
hausted. Reforestation of large areas
and better fire protection are also
needed.
The association gives us most in
teresting account of all the evergreen
plants which suddenly invade the cities
about this time of the year. Christ
mas trees, 1t says. are mostly either
frs or spruces. The balsaul fir, is
unquestionably the best known and
most widely distributed of our native
frs. 1t is one of the most beautiful
evergreen trees native to North
America. 1t frequents bogs, swamps.
and other wet places. The balssm
fir is a tree which satisfies many
human wants, but tho greatest of all
its gift is the Christmas tree. As
Christmas tree it has no superior.
The European fir. so common thru
out many parts of Continental
common with our balsam fir. II too,
has been used for centuries as
Christmas tree.
Careful examination of the trunk of
the balsam will reveal a largo num-
bcr of little blsterIike sacs of balsam.
If one takes a knife and puncturcs
them the bnlsam will flow freely.
This balsam when refined is used in
our scientific laboratories to attach
cover glass to microscopic slides.
Balsam is regarded as an excellent
medicine in the treatment of throat
and pulmonary troubles, Many
mountaineers collect the balsam from
tho hlisters on the trees aud then store
1t away for family use. 1t is n COM
mon practice in the north woods to
collect largo quantities of balsam
leaves and use them in filling pillows
and cushions, for the leaves when
dried emit a very fragrant balstm
odor. The wood is soft, does not con-
tain resin passages and ranges in
color from white to brown. 1t weighs
about "a pounds per cubic foot and
is used extensively in the manufacture
of paper pulp, crates and packing
boxes.
There arc 90 different kinds of
spruce trees in the world. All of them
are beautiful evergreen trees. They
occur in every country in the north
ern hemisphere. Eight of them are
native to North America, three being
found In the eastern part and five
in the western part of tho country.
WHAT HOLLY Is
Tho Christmas holly can readily he
recognized at all seasons of tho year
armed with spines along tho margin.
Tho 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
winter. An old manuscript in tho I
British Museum states that the holy
hath bcrys as red as any rose. Deyout
people regard the leaves of tho holly
as symbol of the Saviour's crown
of thorns.
The holly wreath is attractive and
popular. but unfortunately tho meth
DDS OF collecting the branches arc
very destructive. In many instances
the tops of the trees arc cut out com /
pletely. leaving nothing but an erect |
bare trunk. We need the holly spriS |
for decorative purposes at Christmas. !
the American Forestry Association !
SAYS. but in order that future sup
ply may be Insured. special steps /
must be taken AT once to regulate the
cutting In such "a way that all tho eN-
isting trees may continue to produce ]
an abundant supply OF thrifty /.
branchlcts.
Tho American holly. also called /
Christmas holly. and tho closely re-
lated European holly. are linked in
separately. With our Christmas tradi- !
lions. Many people arc familiar with
tho holly leaves and berries. but few
of them know that they grow upon
trees which are common in tho coastal
plain regions Of the South and found
locally as far north as Pennsylvania
and along the Atlantic Coast to south 1
crn Maine.
While tho Christmas holly may
reach a height OF so feet and dia-
meter Of to , feet in ArkanEss and
Texas. it rarely exceeds 20 feet In
in the extreme northern part OF It's
natural range.
Another Christmas Eif, of the for
est Is tho mistletoe. II T. tho only
parasitic plant that is used for adorn-
ment at Christmas time. 1t is somc-
times called a tree thief. for IL gets
all its uourishmcnt from tho trees
upon which Il livcs. Travelling thru
out the South ono may sec thousands
Of trees literally fcEtooned with the
mis,letoc. II sometimes grows IN tho
form of a witch's broom, or dno may
see 1t dangling down from tho branch
cs OF a tree In graceful array. II /
always appropriatcs for fits own devo-
lopmcnt the lifc blood OF tho tree
upon which IL feeds.
There arc more than 100 species OF
mistlctue known in tho world. Most |
OF them occur in the tropics. and I
nearly ali OF them arc parasitic |
Many varieties are found In tho United I
States They occur from the coast Of
New Jersey southward and westward. 1
HOW M1sTLEToE GROWS
The nistletoc is so common in tho 4
state of Oklahoma that it has been &C. /!
lectcd as tho state flower. II you
question an oklahoman about tho
parasite plant as q state flower. he Ia |