Evening star., 1928-12-23
BY C. MORAN.

A MOTHER day and few hours
" and children in 100000 Wash
"A ington homes will be fighting
4 a off sleep as the magic hour of
Christmas nears. A dozen times
today they will visit back porches and
gaze in wonderment upon the ever
greens there which are soon to be trans
formed into scintillating, iridescence
of ornaments, tinsel and colored lights.
The history of Christmas tree usage
extends far into the mists of antiquity.
Some historians 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. Others declare
the custom may he traced to the Egyp-
tianS, who, at the time Of Winter SOL
stice decorated their portals with the
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, and
season mysterious lights played among
its branches TO this legend, perhaps,
may be traced the custom of illuminate
ing the tree at night. Among the
Greeks Christmas Is known as the feast
of lights.
Approximately 100000 trees are
used in the United States in the annual
Christmas celebration, according to eS-
Inmates by officials of the forest service.
Far from depicting forest resources, the
proper cutting of this number of trees
with due regard to thinning Of the for
| ests, say the forestry experts, is bene-
| fetal to the remaining stand of timber.
| Only the ruthless destruction OF young
| growth is deplored.
| Pine is popular Christmas tree in
| Maryland, Virginia and District homes,
| the more expensive and lordly fir which
| is shipped in from long distances being
regarded as less permanent. Black and
red spruce are commonly seen in New
England Christmas celebrations and in
New York and Philadelphia. Through
out Illinois and Ohio nurserymen partly
| supply the local demand with nursery
| grown Norway spruce. Hemlock is used
! in some places in the absence of other
I varieties and occasionally few arbor-
vitae are shipped among frs and spruce.
| In California red cedar and incense
cedar are not uncommon.
X X X
MAINE. New Hampshire, Vermont,
A'A the Berkshire hills in Massachu-
| setts and the Adirondacks and Cats
kills in New York are sources of supply
for New York, Philadelphia, Boston,
| Baltimore and Washington. Many
truckloads of nearby trees in Maryland
| and Virginia are cut for local con-
| sumption. The Swamps of Michigan,
| Wisconsin and Minnesota furnish the
markets of Chicago, st. Paul. Mime
| apolis and the cities of the plains
| States.
On the Great Lakes the Christmas
tree ship" bringing greenery from the
| upper peninsula of Michigan to Chicago
| or Detroit is usually one of the latest
events in navigation each Winter. In
/ the Northeastern and Lake States bal
sam fir furnishes the bulk of the Christ
mas tree trade. In the South the Fraser
flr is the favorite. In Colorado and
| other Rocky Mountain States, fir, though
abundant, is difficult of access and the
Lodge Pole pines and occasionally the
| Douglas fir and Englemann spruce are
used On the Pacific Coast the Christ
mas tree is often the white fir.
| 1t has been demonstrated that by
| cutting Christmas trees Of certain ever
green species above the lower whorl OF