Trees and How to Know Them [ 365 



green of the persistently clinging needles which make the balsam 

 fir the ideal evergreen for Christmas decorating. 



This tree retains its beauty even when it is quite dried out after 

 many days indoors. Not so all evergreens the spruce, for example, 

 begins to shed its needles fairly soon after being cut, as each needle 

 is attached to the twig by a small joint. Boys and girls love the 

 evergreens for the happiness they bring at Christmas; and while 

 grown-ups feel the same way, they may also appreciate them as 

 our major source of paper and lumber. 



The Fir's Fragrant Aroma: People living close to balsam firs 

 become so accustomed to their fragrant aroma that they are no 

 longer aware of it. But city children and their parents delight in 

 the lovely "Christmasy" smell and sometimes enjoy it the whole 

 year round by using cushions stuffed with the fir needles. 



Canada Balsam: These firs yield another useful product: Canada 

 balsam, used in making turpentine. The balsam comes from resin 

 blisters under the thick, rich brown bark which are a great fire 

 hazard for the trees. In case of fire, the resin quickly turns the 

 whole tree into a torch. 



SPRUCES ONCE USED FOR CHEWING GUM 



Our native black spruce has a wide natural range in North 

 America from coast to coast, as far south as West Virginia and as 

 far north as Labrador and Alaska. Young spruces are often used 

 as Christmas trees, despite the fact that they shed their needles 

 early in a warm house; but you do not often see them adorning 

 landscapes. As cultivated trees they are relatively short-lived and 

 their dead branches give them an uneven appearance. 



Children are usually intrigued to know that spruce resin was 

 once an important source of chewing gum now replaced by 

 chicle from the tropics. The Indians used spruce gum to water- 

 proof their canoes. 



How to Recognize a Black Spruce: Among the distinctive features 

 of the black spruce are its bluish-green, blunt-tipped needles 



