Roots and Stems and Dogwood Bolts 



181 



market is being served by owners of 

 plantations who have set the trees out 

 for the express purpose of growing 

 Christmas trees. A large number also 

 come from thinnings in plantations 

 established for other purposes. The 

 Christmas-tree industry is discussed in 

 other articles in this book. It is well 

 here, however, to remind the small 

 landowner that the Christmas-tree 

 market often is an attractive one for 

 the disposal of small evergreens from 

 crowded plantations and from over- 

 stocked natural seeding of fields. If 

 evergreen timber harvesting is done at 

 the right time of the year, well-formed 

 tops may be dressed up for the Christ- 

 mas-tree market. 



Branches of evergreen trees, notably 

 those of the longleaf pine of the South, 

 are eagerly sought for Christmas deco- 

 ration. To a lesser degree other ever- 

 green boughs likewise find a place in 

 the Christmas market. 



Needles of pine, spruce, and fir have 

 a fragrance that helps create a spe- 

 cialty market for balsam pillows. While 

 the market is limited, it can provide 

 more than pin money for persons liv- 

 ing near resorts where such pillows are 

 purchased for souvenirs and gifts. 



In the mountain industries of the 

 South, pine needles are used along 

 with raffia and other weaving materials 

 for baskets and small hand-woven ar- 

 ticles and novelties. 



The leaves of the wintergreen plant, 

 found growing in the woods of the East 

 and North, is one of the sources of 

 wintergreen flavor, similar to that of 

 the black birch inner bark. Most of 

 the wintergreen flavoring is now pro- 

 duced synthetically, but the natural- 

 plant extract is used to a limited extent. 



The eucalyptus tree, several species 

 of which have been introduced on the 

 west coast, is a multipurpose tree suit- 

 able for fuel wood and lumber in about 

 25 years. Oil from its leaves is used in 

 making medicines and perfumes. 



Leaves of the eastern white-cedar 

 likewise produce marketable oils. 



When no other use can be found for 

 them, hardwood leaves may be utilized 



in nature's own fashion for compost. 

 The compost pit or pile may also find 

 a market, especially if the landowner 

 is near a city where flower and vege- 

 table gardeners create a demand for it. 

 Galax is an attractive evergreen herb 

 which grows in the open woods from 

 Virginia to Georgia. Its leaves are used 

 by florists for decoration. Often over- 

 looked by woodland owners, it can be 

 a cash crop if harvested conservatively. 

 Its creeping rootstocks make it rela- 

 tively easy to propagate and retain on 

 woodland soils. 



FRUIT CROPS, for our purpose here, 

 range from cones to mushrooms. 



Boys and girls of the 4-H Clubs in 

 Emanuel County, in Georgia, earned 

 $1,000 in 1948 by collecting 1,000 

 bushels of longleaf pine cones. The 

 cones were sold to the State Depart- 

 ment of Forestry for seed for the for- 

 est nursery. Seed, particularly that of 

 conifers, is in great demand by forest- 

 tree nurseries throughout the country. 

 As planting programs expand, the de- 

 mand will grow. Markets are found not 

 only at the State nurseries but among 

 the private nurseries and others. The 

 woodland owner with a good seed crop 

 should look to these markets, learn the 

 specifications for collecting, storing, 

 and shipping cones and other fruit that 

 may be in demand. The markets may 

 not be found locally, but the State for- 

 ester or extension forester will be able 

 to say where they are. 



Cones also can be sold for decorative 

 purposes and for use in the manufac- 

 ture of novelties. Small cones, such as 

 those of the hemlock, are tied into 

 wreaths of evergreen material or artifi- 

 cial greenery for Christmas use. Larger 

 cones, in groups of three to five, be- 

 come wall decorations. Others may 

 be painted, dyed, or otherwise orna- 

 mented for use as Christmas-tree trim- 

 mings and window hangings or desk 

 and table novelties. Craft shops are the 

 markets for such materials, but the 

 woodland owner or his family may de- 

 velop a winter-evening pastime into a 

 paying proposition. 



