| Show Money MoneT In Christmas Trees Tree The Tho Christmas tree Industry Is now at its height in Maine many car car loads and even vessel loads going forward every week to the large cities clUes Only a few years ago the fir tree was looked upon as a nuisance in Maine because it grew as rankly as the burdock and crowded out better growths while beIng being being be be- ing of no value itself except as it might be considered an ornament to i t mas tree harvest ha vest and in some localities localities localities ties the cutting of the greens is made the ocCaSIOn Of a general merrymaking ing as at huskings and other farm festivals The The trees are bundled up according to s size ze in lots of six or a dozen conveyed on n hayracks to the railroad station and there either sold to traveling buyers or shipped direct to Boston or New Newyork York The farmers get about 5 cents each for the smaller trees 10 to 15 cents for those eight to ten feet tall In all all Maine people realize about a ye year r from their crop of Christmas greens the landscape No Now the fir no longer despised is is Isa a a so source of considerable income to h hundreds hundreds' of Maine rural people and to the transportation companies companies companies companies' com com- as well for its graceful proportions proportions proportions pro pro- portions and balsamic al odor have become become be he- come known to the dwellers in cities where it is regarded as the ideal tree whereon to display the lights and gifts of holiday time The beginning of the popularity of the fir was in 1892 when a party of sportsmen returning g In a Boston steam yacht from Newfoundland called at Sargentville on Penobscot bay to enable some somer of the party to visit mines inland Here the beauty of the firs attracted the Attention of the owner owner own own- er or er of the yacht who took young trees to Boston and sold them at good prices in the market at hall Up to that time pines and spruces had been used as ChrIstmas Christmas Christmas Christ ChrIst- mas trees but since the day of the Boston yachtsman's speculation the fir has been the favorite Now about trees trees' are are annually shipped d from Maine 5 Men women and children often work together In gathering the Christ Christ- |
