The Rural Voice, 1992-12, Page 25downward, trimming the trees in the
typical shape.
"The particular aspect of pruning a
Scotch pine is that the cut stem will
produce approximately seven buds.
This allows the tree to fill out and
have a fuller appearance," says
Walker. "So pruning shapes and
thickens a tree."
When the trees are pruned,
the top stem or the "leader"
can be altered. Scotch
pines form buds on the sides of the
cut stems, while spruce trees form
buds on the ends of the stem that is
cut. Spruce trees are easier to work
with because the "leader" grows
straight up; Scotch pines need to be
shaped because of the tendency to
have off -set stems.
Planting the Christmas trees
involves several steps. First, the
growing sites are cleared, old stumps
are removed, and then the area is
plowed or cultivated. Fertilizer is
then applied. Then a tree -planting
machine plants the trees.
"3-0" growing stock is used in one
particular stand, for example. The
first number — three — indicates the
number of years the seedling has
been in the seed bed. The second
number — zero — tells the number
of years that the seedling has been in
the transplant bed. The seedlings are
purchased from nurseries, and
planted in early May, with a six-foot
by six-foot spacing between the rows
and between the trees in the rows.
This allows for approximately 1000
trees per acre.
"Trees that are planted all on the
same day can take three years to be
harvested," explains Walker. "Some
trees grow faster in a particular stand;
some retain their shape better.
Harvesting is planned, but we also
need to take into account a balancing
act for nature." There is a harvesting
schedule for each stand.
There is an average of 800 to 1000
trees per acre on the Kiwanis Club
Tree Farm, with the actual
commercial harvest averaging about
60 per cent. "Another factor to take
into account for growth rate is the
type of land," says Walker. "This is a
TIOGA series of light sand loam,
with good drainage, stone -free and
moderately acid."
The time of year of planting and
the quality of growing stock are also
major factors. The seedlings need to
be kept cool and damp, and Walker
says that planting in the rain is an
ideal condition for the seedlings.
The practice used to be to replant
trees as the mature trees were
harvested. "But management
techniques have changed," states
Walker. "Now the different grades of
trees are kept over a three-year period
of harvesting, then the land is
completely cleared and totally
replanted."
Deciding whether or not to harvest
a particular tree calls for several
considerations. Size is one important
factor. Can the tree stand another
year's growth? Other factors are
height, fullness, straightness of the
trunk, and the leader.
"There are occasional sucker trees
that come up from older roots.
Sometimes a tree will sprout from
seed," says Walker. "An interesting
bit of trivia is that Scotch pine cones
don't open to release seeds until the
Kiwanis Club member Arnold Kuhl
at Whispering Pines: campground in
summer, tree farm in fall.
temperature reaches 120 to 130
degrees F. And the yield is
approximately 50,000 seeds out of a
bushel of Scotch pine cones."
"There is a great misunderstanding
on the part of the Christmas -tree -
buying public," states Walker.
"When some of the needles fall off
the trees, it is NOT that the tree is
dying. It is the tree shedding the
older needles in the middle of the
tree. It is simply a natural
occurrence!"
Different species of trees have
different lengths of needle retention
(the length of time the needles stay
on the tree before they shed). Scotch
pine and spruce have a two-year
cycle, shedding their first- and
second -year needles in the third year.
Douglas fir trees have a three-year
needle retention, while white pine
lose their needles every other year,
and tamaracks lose their needles
every year.
"The needles of the different
varieties are the key to identifying the
different species of trees," Walker
says. "Scotch pines have needles in
two -needle clusters, and they are
twisted. Jack pines have two -needle
clusters, but the needles are spread
apart. White pines have five -needle
clusters, while spruce have single
needles. Fir trees have flat needles
with a notch in the end of the
needles."
The Christmas trees are
harvested from mid-November
on, with the Christmas tree lots
opening up the first week of
December. "People have the idea
that a tree cut closer to Christmas is a
fresher tree. But in reality, a tree that
is harvested before a heavy frost will
hold its needles better. So the idea
that a tree should be cut closer to
Christmas is a myth!" states Walker.
The Christmas vets are cut with a
chain saw, and then butted, skidded
out to the edge of the stand, and then
shaken. Some tree operations bale
the trees with a tree -baler, a conical
shaped machine that wraps the tree in
twine as the tree turns inside the
baler.
To figure the cost of producing a
Christmas tree, factors taken into
account are the real estate value of
the land; the cost of planting,
spraying, cutting, skidding, baling;
and marketing. The trees to be
harvested are tagged for selection.
Larger commercial growers tag by
grade, but a smaller private operation
can tag for selection.
"Sales cycles for Christmas trees
DECEMBER 1992 21