404 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
-fDec. 18, 1884, 
dlatuyal History. 
NOTES OF THE WOODS AND WATERS. 
Y. 
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS. 
(eee now general custom of decorating our homes, 
churches, and Sunday schools during Christmas times 
with evergreens, originated with that ancisnt and mystical 
people, the Druids, With them the mistletoe, holly, ivy, 
rosemary, bay and laurel, were considered sacred plants, 
possessed of great medicinal properties as well as powerful 
agencies for good fortune and prosperity, and as charms 
against evil powers, from the fact that the good spirits, elves 
and fairies of the woods took refuge in these evergreens dur- 
ing the cold winter months, and by their beneficent and 
powerful influences brought health, good fortune, and hap- 
piness to every household so adorned; but when spring time 
came, they again sought their sylvan homes, In England, 
the holly, ivy, and mistletoe are still the most prized and 
eagerly sought after of all the evergreens used for Christmas 
decorations; but with us, all vegetation of pleasing colors, 
form and habit are used, be they wild or cultivated, and 
every year new materials are introduced, which are eagerly 
sought after, both by the rich and those of modest means, 
who can but just afford to purchase a simple wreath or cross 
of holly. 
When one visits the large markets he wonders where the 
hundreds and hundreds of little and big Christmas trees 
come from, nor does he imagine that special steamers are 
chartered to convey loads of them from Maine to the Boston 
and New York markets, where they are distributed to all 
parts of the Eastern and Middle States. 
OF late years many of our leading nurserymen have made 
a specialty of raising Christmas trees of unusual size and 
beauty. These bring very high prices, according to their 
height, as for instance a perfect tree thirty feet high will cost 
a dollar a foot, and for all over that height the price as a rule 
inereases. These immense Christmas trees are for Sunday 
schools and charitable institutions, and a tree for a small 
family of one baby can be had as Jow asten cents. We are 
indehted to the Germaus for this Innocent and joyous cus- 
tom of the gathering of old and young around the family 
Christmas tree. 
This year the shipment of English mistletoe will be more 
exteusive than on auy previous year, from the fact that the 
system of handling and packing it for the American 
market has become better understood on the other side. 
It is pleasant to be able to state that the demand for the 
Southern mistletoe, which, however, is not as handsome 
a mistletoe as the English, is steadily on the increase, and 
that in very many Northern and Southern homes the boys in 
blue and the boys in gray will sit under an American mistle- 
toe bough this Christmas and tell over their achievements of 
many years ago with rifle and cannon. The mistletoe is a 
true parasite and feeds on the sap on which it grows. The 
fruit of this most interesting and curious of all Christmas ever- 
greens consists of a semi-transparent berry, the flesh of which 
is very sticky, and containsa singleseed. The favorite trees 
of the mistletoe are the oak and the apple, So much is this 
the case that in some parts of HKngland, where they are culti 
vated extensively, the mistletoe has become a great pest, and 
often destroys valuable orchards in a few years if not closely 
watched. But the most curious fact isthe planting 
of the mistletoe, which is entirely due to the birds of 
England that remain in that Country during the winter 
months, and becoming hard pressed for food, are forced to 
eat the sticky berries of the mistletoe, the seeds of which 
are left clinging to the branches of the tree on which the 
mistletoe is growing. These seeds in course ef time germin- 
ate, and the radicle penetrating the bark, the young plant 
sustains itself onthe sap of the tree. 
To the Southern States we are also indebted for another 
beautiful plant, the Spanish moss (Zillandsia usneoides), 
which is bez more extensively used every Christmas. This 
so-called Spanish moss (though it is not a moss at all, but be- 
longs to the pineapple family) is gathered mostly in Florida, 
whence it is sent North carefully packed in-barrels, through 
the sides and ends of which numerous holes are bored for 
the purpose of obtaining a thorough circulation of air, with- 
out which the moss would become heated and rot before it 
reaches its destination, This moss is also extensively used 
as.a soft and dry packing for the oranges of Florida, and is 
afterward sold by the dealers in fruits for Christmas decora- 
tions. The cool, grayish-green color of this moss forms a 
yery pleasant and harmonious contrast when combined with 
the rich and dark greens of our Northern evergreens. This 
Spanish moss has also a considerable economic value, it 
being used very extensively by upholsterers for stuffing 
matiresses, sofas and beds, 
The method of preparing the moss to rid the inner, woody, 
horse hair like fibre of its soft outer coating of ‘‘bark,”’ is a 
very slow and tedious one. After gathering it from the 
branches of the live oak on which it grows (for like the 
mistletoe it isa parasite, though it does not live on the sap of 
the tree, but obtains its support from its surroundings and 
the atssosphere), it is buried in the ground, or is placed in 
running water, where it is allowed to remain till the outer 
covering or “bark” is more or less rotted, it is then sent 
North to be ginned. The ginning removes all the small 
particles of bark that still remain attached to the fibre, and 
at the same time clearsit of dirt and other foreign substances. 
Tt now looks very much like coarse and black horse hair, 
and when in a mass has great spring to it, almost equal to 
curled horse hair, so that you would never recognize it as 
the once beautiful and graceful Spanish moss of Florida. 
Its value has now increased to fifteen cents per pound. 
Our Northern wood mosses come next to the Spanish 
moss for Christmas work. When using growing plants or 
flowers, the unsightly flower pots should be kept out of 
sight. There is no material that is so well adapted for this 
purpose as the fine mosses that grow on rocks and on old 
stumps. These, as a rule, can be secured in sheets, W hen 
covering the pois with this material a sheet of it is fastened 
to the pot by means of fine wire (such as florists use) 
which is wound three or four times around the pot. It is 
best to draw the wire rather tight, so as to allow for the de- 
crease in thickness of the sheet of moss when it becomes dry, 
and also to imbed the wire so that it may not be seen; if fine 
wire is not obtainable green thread will answer nearly as 
well. In old woods, small and large hummocks of light and 
dark green mosses are to be found, these are admirable for 
building up masses and groups for both pot and cut flowers, 
and for banking against a butter tub sawn in half and filled 
with earth, in which the Christmas tree is planted. In this 
- 
‘ported for the 
bank of damp moss can be inserted irailing sprays of the 
partridge berry, also wintergreen und small masses of the 
finer evergreen ferns, cut flowers, etc. 
A person having only a moderate amount of taste for color 
effects, grouping and massing, can really perform wonders 
with the most common materials that are to be obtained in 
the woods a few weeks before Christmas. When using the 
short, light gray mosses and lichens that are to be found in 
dry and sandy locations, they must be thoroughly dampened 
to make them soft and pliable, or else they will be found to 
be so brittle that the slightest pressure will cause them to 
break and fall apart. The long gray, beard-like lichen found 
erowing on old cedars and spruce trees, when draped on the 
branches of a Christmas tree, gives it an ancient look, This 
lichen also becomes yery pliable after it has had a drink of 
water, otherwise itis exceedingly apt to go to pieces on the 
slightest familiarity, 
ones, burs and catkins, attached to branches or stemmed, 
and the empty seed vessels of many of our wild flowers 
(asters and golden rod), when used in masses, all help to 
lighten and break the monotony and somberness of many of 
the Christmas greens of our Northern climate, and are all 
suggestive of the Jong winter’s sleep into which Nature has 
retired, and are so many signs and promises left to us that 
she will return again in her many-colored and swect-scented 
robes of leaves and flowers. 
One of our most common of wild flowers, the cud-weed or 
pearly everlasting (Aniennaria margaritacea) may be used, as 
well as the Gnaphalium—a Greek word, meaning a lock of 
wool in allusion to the downy character of the leaves and 
stems—which is closely related to the well-known immortelle 
of France and the much-treasured and sought after edelweiss 
of the Alps (Gnaphalinwn leontopodiwm), to obtain which both 
American and English Alpine climbers often risk their lives, 
as if is often found growing on the yery edge of some yawn- 
ing precipice, This curious-looking Alpine flower is now 
sold by our leading florists in a dry state, it having been im- 
ermsns, Swedes and Swiss, who use it 
extensively for Christmas decorations, 
The eud-weed has of late years been much used in Christ- 
mas wreaths and crosses as a substitute for the imported im- 
mortelles. Some years ago, in a very handsomely decorated 
parlor, the crimson pompons of the common sumach (Rhws 
glabra) and autumn leaves were used to a very considerable 
extent, and with surprisingly happy results. The sumach 
pompons were not used entire, but were broken apart, the 
interior parts having retained all their rich crimson color- 
ing. Stuffed birds, birds’ nests and mounted buttertlies 
were also introduced in the masses of greenery. 
Now is the time, while this present open weather lasts, to 
lay in a stock of wood berries, for after the first severe frost 
they will have lost their brilliant colors. These will be 
found of great yaluc, and are easily kept till Christmas time 
by hanging them in bunches in some coo] room, or, what is 
much better, placing them in wet sand or jars of water, 
where they will retain all their brilliancy and plumpness. 
Next come the cattails with which wonderful bold effects 
can be produced, But I hear you say they will fluff out and 
the flock will stick to everything in the room. That is yery 
true if they are not fixed with varnish in the following way: 
To two-thirds of any cheap and quick drying varnish add 
one-third of spirits of turpentine; after the turpentine has 
thoroughly cut or dissolyed the varnish, it is placed ina 
large meat platter. The cattails having been thoroughly dried, 
are, one at a time. rolled in the mixture till each bas taken 
up all that itcan hold. It is then placed head down in an 
old wash basin, the cut end of the stem to lean against some 
stationary object. After all the mixture has been used up, 
and the cattails are in the wash basin, they are allowed to 
drain off for six hours; they are then bunched and hung up 
to dry with their heads down in awarm room, care being 
taken to place five or six thicknesses of paper beneath them 
for the purpose of catching any of the mixture that may still 
drain off. Cattails when prepared in this way will retain 
their colors for many years, and will never fluff out, as the 
yarnish with which they are saturated holds the fluffy seed 
vessels together in an almost solid mass. 
The holly (ller opaca) with its beautifully-shaped leaves 
and clusters of bright crimson berries, is undoubtedly one 
of our most attractive evergreens. Most of the holly to be 
seen in our markets a few weeks before Christmas comes 
from Maryland and Southern New Jersey. Thousands of 
young holly trees are manufactured into walking canes eyery 
year. These are stained a deep black in imitation of ebony, 
and the wood being close grained and heavy, very few 
people know the difference when highly polished. 
The climbing fern, or Hartford fern (Lygodium palmatum) 
is one of the most beautiful of all our native ferns. The 
striking delicacy, beauty of foliage, and graceful habit of 
this exquisite fern, adapt it to decorative purposes in its 
green siate, or when dried, it is formed into graceful fes- 
toons and attached to lace curtains, or ‘draped around pic- 
tures, Thousands of sprays of this fern are gathered every 
year to be disposed of by florists during Christ- 
mas times. So great became the demand for it 
that there was danger of its becoming extinct in 
the locality of East Windsor Hill, Connecticut, where it 
grows in great abundance. So large were the quantities 
taken away yearly, that by an act of the Legislature of 
1869 a special law was passed for its protection. This 
law has since been codified in the revision of tne statute 
of 1875, and under the title XX., IV., Section 22, it is 
made an offense punishable by a fine not exceeding one 
hundred dollars, or intprisonment for not more than 
twelve months, or both, to wilfully cut, destroy, or take 
away from the land-of another person any cranberries, 
or ‘creeping fern” (climbing fern, Lyyodium palmatum) 
crops, shrubs, fruits, or other vegetable productions. 
This is probably the only krown instance in State law 
where a plant has received special legal protection solely 
on account of its great beauty. There are two methods of 
drying this fern, one is known as the ‘“‘dry pressed” and the 
other as the ‘‘hot pressed;”’ the ‘‘dry pressed” is where the 
ferns are placed between paper dryers and are then placed 
in a botanical press till dry, the “‘hot pressed” is where hot 
flat-irons are used. ‘The dry pressed ferns are greatly 
superior both in color and durability. 
The next most important fern, and of which immense 
quantities are used during Christmas, is the Christmas fern, 
Aspidium acrosticoides. This beautiful evergreen fern is very 
common in the Hastern and Middle States, the frond often 
attains a length of two feet and five inches in breadth, This 
fern is gathered seyeral weeks before Christmas by dealers, 
who pack it between layers of straw in cool and slightly 
damp cellars; but great care must be taken to gather the 
fronds during clear, sunny days, as the slightest moisture 
on the leaves causes them to turn brown, and in course of 
time mildew. ‘This and the Hartford fern are the best for — 
decorating purposes, for the reason that both of them are 
strong stemmed and woody, so that when exposed to the 
effects of highly heated parlors they do not curl as do the 
more delicate ferns. A. W. Rowerts. 
MOOSE, CARIBOU AND BEAR. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have a bone to pick with ‘‘Nessmuk,” I had been 
thinking of writing a few friendly criticisms on some of the 
articles which crowd your columns, for the delectation of 
sportsmen, when, behold, he dives into the same subject, 
an takes the wind out of my sails; but I shall tack and 
sail on. 
In Mr. Phelps’s entertaining article on the moose, some of 
his deductions and observations are so different from mine 
that a comparison may be interesting. And first, in regard 
to the ‘‘bell” which hangs below the throat. In the old bull 
it is over a foot in length, and instead of being a “‘tuft of 
hair,” is a veritable ‘‘pouch” of yery thick skin, whose 
cayity contains a yellowish substance, with e pungent smell, 
So far as I am aware no naturalist has attempted to define 
its use, but it undoubtedly fills some point in the domestic 
economy of the animal. As for their neyer running, I haye 
seen one run a third of a mile, jumping about sixteen feet at 
the furthest, and showing all four feet sprawled out, exacily 
like a cow. The stride of sixteen feet through three feet of 
snow, which Mr. Phelps gives to the moose of the Adiron- 
dacks, ‘lays over” anything in this State “by a large major- 
ity.” Ten feet on level ground, with just snow enough to 
steady his feet, is about the outside figure for our moose. It 
is quite true that the scent of the moose is more keen and 
far-reaching than that of the deer; so much so that it is of 
very little use to follow one down the wind, no matter how 
fine the still-hunting is. But their hearing is greatly inferior; 
indeed, I believe that there is no animal on this coast whose 
hearing is more acute than that of the Virginia deer, Mr, 
Phelps’s observations in regard to their getting away at the 
first glimpse of the hunter is so totally the reverse of my 
experience that I am fain to believe that his moose hunting 
has been confined to snowshoes and dcep snows; then the 
animal instinctively tries to save himself by flight on the 
first appearance of danger; but on light snow, the moose 
shows very little fear at the mere sight of the hunter, if it 
cannot scent him, It is no nncommon thing for a bull moose 
to stand and urinate in his bed while a man is standing in 
full view; and.they will sometimes slowly trot a semi-circle 
in order to catch the scent; but 1 doubt if they ever do this 
out of mere curiosity, like the caribou. 
The carihou has one trait, which 1 have neyer observed 
in any other of the deer family. It will turn its head from 
side to side, or move it up and down, after looking intently 
at any one in sight, and then stare again earnestly as before, 
I can’t think of anything that surprised me more than this, 
the first time I saw it, Some sportsmen seem to have the 
impression that all female caribou haye antlers, I have 
never yet seen a living female carrying them; and I have had 
several opportunites to inspect bands of six and eight ani 
mals. The last I ever saw was a herd of eight, and being 
armed with nothing more deadly than a lumberman’s axe, L 
walked to within thirty paces of where they stood, und 
gazed at themto my heart’s content. Only two of them 
carried antlers, and two more were young ones, but O 
heayens! what a glorious set of antlers one of those old fel- 
lows (the leader) did have! Thirty-two points, as near as I 
could count. I tore back to the settlement, borrowed a 
nondescript arm, with a skeleton stock, a barrel ten inches 
long and one and an eighth in diameter; muzzleloading, one 
hundred to the pound. The owner proudly declared as he 
handed it to me: ‘“‘She shoots awfully” (Alas! how true!). IL 
dreamed of that caribou about all night, and started after 
him an hour be fore daybreak the next morning. 
After a twenty-mile tramp, on rounding a thick point, I 
came suddenly upon them digging moss in an open hog, and 
not forty paces distant, the old leader a little in advance, 
He caught sight of me instantly, and perhaps recognized me 
as the harmless creature of yesterday, as he seemed not at 
all frightened, How noble he looked with his antlers tow- 
ering aloft, the brow tines almost completely hiding his face; 
how gray he was; how handy to get out, being not far north 
of Ship Pond; and how the boys would stare at that head! 
All these things rushed through my mind as I leyeled that 
‘‘awful shooter’ well down, where the foreleg enters the 
body. A crack, like that of a coach whip, followed the 
pressure of my finger on the trigger, and U horrors, there 
stood the old leader untouched and unmoved, and 1 could 
almost fancy that a sardonic grin pervaded his usually 
somewhat expressionless features; but it might have been 
the effect of light and shade on the brow tes, What a 
helpless idiot I felt myself to be when, on attempting to 
reload, I found that the bullets were so large that they could 
not be forced into the muzzle without a hammer or a tree to 
pound them against, neither of which wereat hand, As the 
band struck out, in their peculiar and graceful trot, as if 
every leg was a steel spring, I started in a direction diamet- 
rically opposite, dangling the infernal nondescript in my 
hand, in a state of desperation no language can describe nor 
J have since ascribed the azure hue which 
pervaded the atmosphere of that bog, as I left it, to a super- 
Thanks to a full moon | reached my 
—_ 
boarding place at a little after midnight, and the next day 
found by experimenting that the delectable arm shot over | 
argument, 
they do, 
haye a cry, 
reflection I 
