The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-02-13
WdntsGrowth
OF Christmas
Tree Industry
Can Be Made of Still Groatey
Importance to Lincoln
County.
FOREST SERVICE MAN
TELLS HOW TO DO II

FOkEST SERVICE MAN
TELLS HOW TO DO II
In the marketing Of ChristmaD
trees is there 4 foundation for tiae
development Of z permanent indus
try ct substantial proportions TO-
Lincoln County?
The national forest service. after
careful study, answers in the IT
firmative and gives facts and f1e-
ures to sustain its answer. Beam
this industry is rapidly assuming .
larger and larger place in the HE
OF the community, we reprint her6
a report compiled by the forege
service covering operations tor 1ooe
The report says:
Almost million Christmas treew
were shipped from Lincoln County
in 1889 to markets as far cart =
Chicago. This industry, which boil
stored rural incomes to the exteuD
OF about 100000, provided work
for around 500 persons during the
months Of October and November.
Coming at a time when rural en-
ployment is usually slack, this In
dustry is becoming increasingly inn
portant as q source OF supplemental
cash income for the rural family.
Given proper recognition and helm.
this new industry can become per-
manent factor in the betterment and
stability OF rural incomes. The peo-
pie of Lincoln County should fiRht
to develop and sustain this industry
at its highest level.
WastefuI Methods Prevalent
Little is known about the scien-
tific management of Christmas tree
lands. Research to prove begt
methods of silviculture and extern.
sion work to get this needed in
formation in the hands OF the pro-
ducers OF trees is vital necessity
IT the industry is to be developed
and built upon a firm foundation.
Already in many instances farm
woodlots have been stripped o.
their growing stock In a 1lopet
to wiring the last cent OF profit
from the resources, uniformed
owners or INSCRIPTIONS buyer-spec-
ulators have exploited privately
owned lands to the point where Il
will be many years before nature
can restore their producing capac-
ity. Every case OF overcuttinR or
improper cutting practices results
IN loss of community wealth and
what Is more important, rural in
come.
That private lands are beginning
to lose their ability to supply market
demands is indicated in the figures
for 1888 and 1889 which show that
the cut from private lands has de-
clined from "a per cent to II per
cent OF the total county cut. The
buyers Of Christmas trees are not
obligated to buy trees in this coun-
ty, as trees can be secured else
where. Whenever the people of Lin
coin County allow the supply OF
Christmas trees to drop below what
the market demands, the buyers will
60 elsewhere to satisfy their needs.
Under sustained yield manage
ment for Christmas tree production.
the best and more accessible lands
IN the county would easily produce
whatever the market will bear. Ey-
cry effort should be made to achieve
this goal.
Christmas Trees VS.. SawIogs
In the Eureka area of Lincoln
County, Christmas tree production
IS at present of greater economic
and social significance than is the
production Of sawlogs. The best,
more accessible areas now produc-
ng Christmas trees should be ded-
Gated to this purpose exclusively.
and carefully managed to produce
returns in community
welfare. Few people condemn the
sime-honored custom that has made
the Christmas tree the symbol OF
the Christmas spirit. We cannot
possibly dedicate forest product
10 higher use.
To date, with the exception of a
few private owners, little thought
las been given to the perpetuation
u this industry on permanent
oasis.
The needle persistence of west
srn Montana fir provides its major
competitive advantage with the
.rees from other regions. AS in the
,ase with lumber, freight rates on
Christmas trees are high, making
t impossible for Montana fir to
compete in the larger eastern mar
Sets with trees cut in the New Eng
and states and Nova Scotia. It's
pest markets are found in the plains
states and the midwest. Quality
.rees from western Montana should
continue to hold this market.
Under sustained yield manage
nent an acre of Christmas tree land
should produce about 40 trees a
year. On this acre we would have
trees of all sizes from seedlings one
year old to Christmas trees varying
IN height from two feet to Is feet.
There would also be eight to 10
seed trees per acre. The stand per
acre would vary from 1900 to 5000
trees. The. annual cut would be