Evening star., 1926-11-14
YULET|DE GREENS
FACE EXTINCTION
Public Urged to Use More
Substitutes to Save Holly,
Winterberry and Pine.

On account of threatened destruc.
ton Of all holly, ground pine and
wtnterberry in the vicinity OF the Ma
tlonal Capital, a campaign Is to be
waged this season for the use of sub
Stitutes in order that these attractive
greens may be preserved for the
future.
The campaign will be conducted by
the National Wildfower Preservation
Society, of which p. l.. Kicker is pres
ident, and the committee of the Ma
tional Capital of the Garden Club of
America, of which Mrs. Frank 3.
Noyes is chairman.
The public will be asked to employ
substitutes for holly, ground pine and
winterberry in an increasing quantity,
as this will not only carry the
Year spirit into those homes and buSi-
ness houses desiring to decorate, but
II will cooperate in the movement to
preserve for the future so-called
Christmas green's" which now are
considered by experts to be in danger
Of extinction.
The American holly is in the most
serious danger of any of our native
woody plants" according to Mr..
Kicker, who is botanist of the De-
partment of Agriculture.
Berry Faces Extinction.
Holly is growing scarcer each year
around Washington, he says, and the
increasing scarcity Of berry-bearing
plants has developed the demand for
the winterberry, a plant which drops
its leaves in the Fall, but continues to
carry attractive red berries, with a
slight, broken yellow husk about each
berry. This winterberry is in danger
also of extinction, Mr.. Kicker be-
lieves. Ground pine is also growing
Scarcer each year, he reports, and
should be preserved.
No campaign will be conducted
against the use Of mountain laurel
in this vicinity, it was explained, as
there appears to be considerable
quantity of this shrub, which often
grows into trees when left alone.
Laurel is not so plentiful near Wash
ington as formerly, Mr. Kicker ex-
planned, but it grows in abundance
not far away, and is likely to be used
extensively in decorations this year.
The amount of substitutes for
green's, in the form Of fibrous ma
terial in chains and wreaths. red
and green in color, and known as
'friZ," appears to be constantly on
The increase in the market here. ac-
cording to Mr.. Kicker. 1t has been
on sale in a variety of stores and
market places, and, according to pres
ent indications, it will appear in
greater abundance this year than
ever.
Various means will be utilized by
both the National Capital committee
Of the Garden Club of America and
by the WildfoWer Preservation So
ciety to bring to the attention of the
public the appeal to save the Christ
mas greens, and it is hoped by those
in charge that the actual use Of the
live green's will be sharply curtailed
this season.
Will Give Preservation Recipe.
Emphasis is laid by those behind
the movement, however, upon the
phase of the campaign that the drive
is not intended TO take the joy out
of life" but to help preserve joy for
the future, while allowing plenty of
pleasure for the present in attractive
substitutes.
Means for helping save the greens,
through various devices, will he pre-
sented to the public from time to
time, and later on it is the plan to
present a recipe by which live greens
may be preserved through a pre-
serVatiVe solution so that they may
last for many years.
The public will not be asked by the
managers of the campaign to abstain
from the use of Christmas trees, al
though it will be emphasized that
those who are cutting the trees for
sale should do so with a view only
10 thinning out the forests where the
AVergreenS are growing.