Development of the Christmas
Tree Industry
It helps those marketing Christmas trees to understand developments in the industry which brought it to its present stage. This is also important for those planning to start growing Christmas trees. The industry in the USA is not very old as industries go. A lot of change has taken place in the few years of Christmas tree marketing, some of it with long-term effect. Even today we can see major developments in the character and makeup of the industry. Some have been influenced by changes in housing and family patterns. There is more change to come. From the marketing standpoint, change makes a fascinating story; one that growers new or old will want to watch.
The industry in the USA began with the cutting of wild trees. Most of the early ones were wild Balsam fir from Canada, later from northern New England. the Lake states and the northwest. As the only real cost in producing these trees was that of harvesting and moving them, they carried a relatively low price--extremely low compared to present prices. As late as the 1060's Balsam fir from Canada were crossing the border at prices below 60 cents each. There are still a few wild cut trees sold, but these are largely cultured on the stump to compete with plantation-grown trees. Then it was found better quality trees could be grown in plantations. It began when Scotch pines, planted in the Lake states to stabilize the soil, were harvested and sold as Christmas trees. Plantation grown trees soon come to dominate the field. The large areas of cut-over timbers lands in the Lake states provided fertile fields for them. It was
found that shearing and other cultural practices improved tree quality. As Christmas tree plantations developed, so did cultural practices liek shearing, spraying, and mowing. Insects and diseases also spread. Harvesting and spraying equipment was needed. Seedling nurseries were established.
AT THIS POINT THE CHRISTMAS TREE
INDUSTRY WAS OFF AND RUNNING.
