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Show Lengthen Enjoyment Of Your Christmas Tree If you are among the majority of people who still prefer fresh, green trees for Christmas trimming, here are some suggestions to extend that enjoyment. They come from Carl M. Johnson, Extension Exten-sion Forester, Utah State University. AIM TO have your tree remain fresh and look alive throughout the holiday season. It will require care in selecting, storing, placing and decorating. Start with a fresh tree. That may mean buying it early since most commercial Christmas trees are cut far ahead of the holiday. Seldom are they stored properly to prevent excessive drying. AVOID BUYING a tree that will be dried out excessively by the Christmas season. Feel the foilage. It should be soft and supple. Shake the tree. Bounce the butt end on the ground and notice how many needles fall off. If many fall, the tree already is too dry to give you the use and beauty you desire. Srnrp vour tree in a cool place with the butt in water soon after you buy it. Provide fresh cells that will absorb water by cutting the butt at an angle. EVEN AFTER you move the tree indoors, in-doors, keep the butt in a container of water. Johnson says, if you will do that and use care to place the tree in the home away from heat sources and out of direct sunlight, your tree will long maintain its fresh appearance. Decorate your tree with caution and wisdom to avoid disastorous fire that can result from faulty cords and lights. Inspect Ins-pect and use only completely sound electrical elec-trical decorations. YOU MAY choose to gain added benefit from your tree by using it for fuel in a stove or fireplace after it has served its 1 decorative purpose. Johnson gives this caution: Remember that the resinous evergreen needles and branches will flare up rapidly, almost explosively. Cut them up and put only small sections into the firebox at a time. |