HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1975-12-24, Page 16ONE THING EVERYONE WANTS for Christmas As a "per-
, feet" Christmas tree: beautifully-shaped, fragrant and full.
About 35 million live evergreen trees are used in American
homes each year to help celebrate the holiday season. The
American Forest Institute points out that their use does not
deplete the forests, because the trees are specifically grown
— and specially groomed for holiday use on Christmas
tree "plantations."
of water. Be sure water in
the tree stand remains
above the cut. Place the
tree away from all heat
sources: radiator, ducts,
even the T.V.
lie ridging bells
giitittil Otte sincere
thatikg, for yout pag4
and future; guppititt.,
We hope Santa leaves some room in
your stocking for our wish of happy
times for you and yours. Merry Christmas!
BURKE ELECTRIC
Thanks for your patronage.
BRUSSELS STOCKYA
• ,...... „
Plenty of water
. • When you get the tree
home, make a fresh diag-
onal. cut in the stump end
to allow greater absorption
It's that time 'again! For
wishing our friends and
neighbors the best of the
season's joys. And peace..
StEPHENSON'S BAKERY
M.C. SMITH
5 dY
The sounds of Christmas are happy
sounds . . . the glorious ringing of chrch
bells . . . the echo of merry voices 'midst the
softly falling snow . . and our
wishes to you: a Very Merry Christmas!
brtstmas tessta s
May this holy Season of Christmas,
with it's message of love and peace;
enrich, your lives with Many blessings:
CARL'S AUTO BODY
887.9269
Tree farms produce a
perfect' Christmas tree
Christmas expectations
always include a "perfect"
tree—stately, well-shaped,
full-branched, fragrant.
And, we imagine it will
have grown to perfection
deep in a quiet forest. Not
so, say forestry experts,
The ideal Christmas tree
seldom, if ever, exists in
nature, according to the
American Forest Institute.
Virtually all the 35 million
evergreens used annually
in American homes are
raised — and carefully
groomed ,for appropriate
appearance — on special
Christmas tree plantations.
Five favorites
There are about 40 vari-
eties of. Christmas ever-
greens, says AFI. But, five
or six account for almost
three-quarters of,the com-
mercially-raised species.
Perennial favorites are:
Balsam fir (fragrant, stays
fresh longer) ; Douglas fir
(elegant, with ornamental
needles) ; Scotch pine (full
branches, clustering nee-
dles) ; red pine (graceful
branches with turned-up
tips) ; and blue spruce
(symmetrical, with silver-
blue color) .
Grown on farms
The trees are grown on
some 450,000 acres of tree
farms in almost every
state. It takes about six to
12 years to raise a Christ-
mas tree, and in that time
a lot of work goes into the
grooming process.
Foresters work almost
like cosmeticians to cor-
rect esthetic faults: They
may brace the tree trunk
to eliminate kinks, shear
branches to prevent un-
even development, and
prune them to encourage,
thicker growth. The trees
are also assured just the
right amount of sunlight
and moisture, and protect-
ed against insects, disease,
frost or unseasonable
warmth.
Suggestions on care
All this care is calculated
to bring 'an attractive
Christmas tree to market.
If you want to keep it that
way through the holidays,
AFI offers these sugges-
tions:
Fresh tree
• Be sure the tree is
fresh when you buy it.
Needles should not break
when gently bent.. The
bottom of the stump should
be wet and sticky with sap.
Lift the tree a few inches
off the ground, then bring
it doWn sharply on the
stump end. If substantial
numbers of needles drop
off, the tree is too dry.
Safety checks
o Keep safety in mind.
Be sure there are no ex-
posed wires or frayed insu-
lation on the light strands,
and no cracked or broken
light sockets. After ChriSt-
mas, you may waist to saw
the trunk Intl) fragment •
firewood, But, never burn
a bundle' of branches in
the fireplace: inStead, use-
the• tree limbs and needles
for nhilth to help your
springtime garden grOtr,
If you're ecologically-'
minded; says AFI, retrie
bet. that ChristmaA eves;
greens use only solar en*
gy to grow. Biit Mande*:
wring- artifidial trees frote
plastic Or aluminum *yew
quires lige of oil and
tricity.
.16.6414# BRUSSELS. .liestri,. btatiViiitil .24i, 'I'M . • 2,
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