808 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



least as a menace to the forest, but, on 

 the contrary, as a means of improving 

 the forest by thinning and as a source 

 of revenue. It is therefore constantly 

 encouraged. 



There is little doubt but that the 

 time will come when the Christmas tree 

 business will become a recognized in- 

 dustry in this country, and that as 

 much attention will be given to it as 

 will be given to the growing of crops 

 of timber for other uses. This time 

 may not be far off, for it is already un- 

 derstood that only through the practice 

 of forestry, which means both the con- 

 servation of the timber which remains 

 and carefully planned systems of re- 

 forestation, will it be possible to supply 

 the country with its forty billion feet 

 of lumber needed each year, as well as 

 the few million little trees used at 

 Christmas time. 



Practically all conifers can be and 

 are used as Christmas trees in this 

 country, but the most popular ones are 

 the firs, spruces, pines and the cedars. 

 The pines are in great demand for 

 Christmas trees when fir and spruce are 

 not available, or are only to be had at 

 a high price. Throughout Maryland 

 and Virginia, and in Washington, the 

 Virginia pine and, to a lesser extent, 

 the cedar supply the demand. The fir 

 is abundant in Colorado, but it grows 

 in high, inaccessible places, and there- 

 fore the Douglas spruce and the lodge- 

 pole pine are more often used. The 

 lodgepole pine is also popular in Wyom- 

 ing and other Rocky Mountain states. 

 In California it is not uncommon to 

 find the incense cedar and young coast 

 redwoods used as Christmas trees. 





