254 



cent compound interest net, and that 

 he has left a good stand of potential 

 saw timber. 



An annual average harvest of 600 

 trees from a 15-acre tract in New York 

 State over a 15-year period has grossed 

 the owner a total of $7,000 on a com- 

 bination retail and wholesale basis. 

 This grower estimates it costs him 30 

 cents per tree to plant, prune, harvest, 

 and market, or a total of $2,700, leav- 

 ing a net return of $4,300. 



Evergreen trees are often planted 

 primarily for soil protection, the re- 

 turns from Christmas trees being in- 

 cidental. In Ottawa County, Mich., 

 for example, the sandy soil supported 

 a fine stand of virgin pine timber in 

 the 1880's. Logging operations and 

 subsequent fires denuded the soil, and 

 the sand started blowing to adjacent 

 croplands. The county agricultural 

 agent encouraged the farmers to plant 

 trees to keep the sandy soil in place. 

 Scotch pine, white spruce, and Nor- 

 way spruce seedlings were supplied to 

 farm cooperators at low cost and were 

 planted at the rate of about 1,200 trees 

 to the acre. In 4 to 8 years the trees 

 found a ready market as Christmas 

 trees. In one year, the farmers realized 

 more than $50,000 from the sale of 

 70,000 evergreens. The next year more 

 than 200,000 trees were removed, and 

 the farmers received more than $100,- 

 000 for them. The 1948 returns totaled 

 nearly $300,000. A dense growth of 

 trees was left to prevent soil blowing, 

 and more Christmas trees are in pros- 

 pect. Later, as the trees grow larger, 

 a pulpwood harvest will be made, the 

 treetops to be sold for Christmas deco- 

 rations. Still later as the remaining 

 trees reach pulpwood and sawlog size, 

 they will be converted into lumber. 



A FAIRLY NEW PRACTICE in ChriSt- 



mas-tree farming, especially with the 

 well-managed plantations, is stump 

 culture. In general, this method is prac- 

 ticable before the stems get too large 

 (up to 6 inches stump diameter) or 

 trees become too old (up to 15 or 50 

 years) . When Christmas trees are sev- 



of Agriculture 1949 



ered above live-branch whorls, the 

 uppermost remaining limbs, or newly 

 developed adventitious buds, form new 

 leaders. Eliminating all but one, two, 

 or possibly three such leaders, after at 

 least one year's growth, may cause those 

 left to grow into satisfactory Christmas 

 trees called turn-ups. The root system 

 of such a stump tree is usually ade- 

 quate to produce suitable trees in a 

 shorter period than the original crop 

 tree. However, when trees are growing 

 too close together, the understory 

 trees may undergo severe root and 

 crown competition from these stump 

 trees, which then become wolf trees. 

 Usually four or five individual trees 

 can be grown in the space occupied 

 by one such stump or wolf tree. Stump 

 culture is best adapted for trees grow- 

 ing in openings. Careful pruning at- 

 tention must be given to the trees pro- 

 duced through this rather exacting 

 practice. 



The appearance of a Christmas tree 

 on the market is important. Best prices 

 are paid for well-shaped, freshly cut 

 trees. When cut, the butt should be 

 trimmed off neatly. Many people like 

 to obtain a freshly cut tree and like to 

 make their own selection from among 

 growing trees. This is an advantage for 

 Christmas-tree plantations established 

 close to market centers. 



A curved pruning saw has been 

 found to be an efficient tool for cutting 

 Christmas trees. Trees not harvested 

 one year can be held over to the next 

 or left to grow into larger trees for 

 forest products. A grower should not 

 harvest large quantities of Christmas 

 trees unless a market is assured; even 

 better, the trees should be sold under 

 written contract. Cooperative harvest- 

 ing and marketing offers good possi- 

 bilities. Branches trimmed to shape up 

 harvested trees as well as those from 

 culled trees usually find a ready market 

 as wreaths or table and mantle decora- 

 tions. 



ARTHUR M. SOWDER is an extension 

 forester in the Department of Agricul- 

 ture. 



