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Tree farmers place tags on mature Christmas trees Originally, the family Christmas tree came from the forest. Today, most Christmas trees are grown in plantations. Plantation trees are grown and cultured in cultivated stands, sheared and cared for to provide consumers with the best possible trees. Usually Christmas trees begin life in a nursery where superior seed is planted and grown into two year old seedlings. Many are transplanted into beds for another year or two before being planted in the field where eventually they will be harvested. The seedlings are then taken from the nursery beds and replanted in Christmas tree plantations. While growing, Christmas trees provide environmental benefits by serving as wildlife habitat, in- creasing soil stability and pro- viding a valuable and aesthetical- ly pleasing improvement to the land. Many Christmas tree plan- tations are even more beneficial because they are planted on marginal land for which there is little other use. Each year the young trees are shaped or pruned. By holding back rapid upward growth, the grower can encourage the tree to branch more quickly and gradually achieve the full bushy appearance people prefer in their Christmas trees. Uneven develop- ment may be corrected by shear- ing or pruning. During the six to sixteen years a Christmas tree is growing into a well shaped 6 to 8 foot marketable tree, it faces many hazards. Trees can suffer from too little sun or rain, or vice ver- sa. They can be destroyed by rodents, insects, disease, hail or fire. They can become overgrown with brush, vines and weeds or be stolen out of the field by thieves. At harvest time, wholesale growers select finished trees by placing tags on them. Usually a whole field is not ready for sale in any one year. It often takes three to five years to clear the field for replanting. The tagged trees are cut, bundled and loaded onto trucks and railroad cars for the journey to any one of thousands of Growing time for frees is 7-15 years Each year about three million Canadian families enjoy a natural Christmas tree. About one million of those families are in Ontario. Growing time for a Christmas tree is seven to fifteen years and even longer now that more exotic species are being introduced. The major Christmas tree pro- ducing provinces are: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. Each year new Christmas tree seedlings are planted to replace the harvested trees. On average, two to three seedlings are planted for every tree that is harvested. Thousands of people are employed by the Canadian natural Christmas tree industry. © In eastern Canada, the most popular Christmas trees are Scotch pine, white spruce and balsam fir, although Fraser fir and white fir are also gaining in popularity. In western Canada, Douglas fir and Scotch pine are traditionally most popular. Canadian grown Christmas trees are an important export commodity. Reid { < "Bruce Dempsey proudly displays the Christmas tree he and his wife Nancy picked out at a local tree farm. Providing Canadian families PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, December 18, 1990 -- 35 Trees have many uses After the holidays, a real Christmas tree keeps on giving: 1. Placed in the garden or backyard, the Christmas tree can be used as a bird feeder. Orange slices will attract birds as will peanut butter spread on tree seed cones, and birds can sit in the branches for shelter. 2. A Christmas tree is biodegradable. Its branches may be removed and used as mulch in the garden while the trunk can be used for fuel or chopped for mulch. 3. Fir trees foliage can be stripped from the branches and snipped in- to small pieces for stuffing into aromatic fir needle pillows for the sofa or bedroom. 4. Large quantities of used trees make effective sand and soil ero- sion barriers, especially at beaches. 5. Sunk into fish ponds, tree make excellent refuge and feeding areas. 6. Woodworking hobbyists can make a multitude of items from the truck of a used Christmas tree including buttons, gavels and candlesticks. 7. Cities such as Ottawa and Oakville collect discarded Christmas trees, grind them and use the mulch in their parks, gardens and greenbelts. Smaller towns across the province are now doing the same. Certificates D.J. TAYLOR (o..c. INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. 169 North St., Port Perry LOL 1B7 Guaranteed Investment (Rates Subject to Change without Notice) 1 YEAR PHONE 985-8416 Cleaning 985-8552 | LOOSE RUGS A SPECIALTY | We also clean Broadloom & Upholstery J Pick up & Delivery FENELON FALLS LEATHER FASHIONS Pre-Holiday Sale! from ELK retail lots across the country. Some trees are sold by the "choose-and-cut'"' method. Families come to a Christmas tree farm to select and cut down the Christmas tree of their choice. Each year choosing and cutting that special tree together has become a more important fami- ly tradition. with the best Christmas tree that man and nature can grow is a big job. Most Canadian tree farmers agree it is a good life, provided the commitment is there to work year round at growing a high risk crop that needs tender loving care for at least six years and in most cases at least twice that before it becomes a marketable product. QUALITY LEATHER APPAREL & Accessorles for LADIES and MEN HUGE SELECTION - FAMILY SPECIALS Come & Compare! Open All Year - including Sundays We also carry a wide selection"of ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES & More 12 FRANCIS ST.W., FENELON FALLS (705) 887-1700 WITH CORN pOVETEC CORN HEATER ENERGY SAVERS Brian (705) 277-2754 Del (705) 277-2387 Serving Durham Region Rates subject to change without notice. SCUGOG FINANCIAL SERVICES A DIVISION OF CRESSBROOK FINANCIAL PLANNING LTD. 250 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY "Serving Scugog for Over 15 Years" PHONE 985-3832 LN - = = --_ OPEN 7 DAYS a WEEK adeus . Seafood & Steak House 1180 Simcoe St.N., Oshawa 436-9333 or 436-9065 Banquet Facilities Available EVERYDAY DINNER SPECIALS For a touch of class ... Dine with us! D) THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM for the Christmas Holidays. HOLIDAY CLOSURE OF SANITARY LANDFILL SITE The CARTWRIGHT & SCUGOG TRANSFER STATIONS will be clos- ed on Tuesday, December 25 and Wednesday, December 26, 1990, Normal operations will resume on Thursday, December 27. 1990. These sites will close again on January 1, 1991, for New Year's Day, and re-open on January 2, 1991 WA TWELVETREES, PENG, COMMISSIONER OF WORKS