68
—Unc«sttr Farming, Saturday, November 14,1981
Penn
UNIVERSITY PARK - Spurred
by nostalgia and the prospects of
seemingly easy profits, hundreds
ot Pennsylvanians in recent years
have considered, or tried, growing
Christmas trees.
"Many people are in for a rude
shock or worse, a severe monetary
loss,” says James C. Finley, a
Penn State instructor of Extension
forest resources, who gives advice
and aid to the Commonwealth’s 350
to 400 commercial Christmas tree
growers.
“Too many neophytes think they
only need plant seedlings, wait
eight to 10 years, depending on
species, and begin harvesting an
annual Christmas tree crop.
“Few such would-be en
trepreneurs bother to leam the
realities that make growing
Christmas trees a time
consuming, risky financial ven
ture.”
Since Christmas trees—properly
grown, nurtured and marketed—
can be profitable, Finley is trying
to warn would-be growers to seek
professional advice before they
begin This may prevent a new
group of people from suffering the
fate of many Christmas tree
growers of two decades ago.
In the early 19605, Pennsylvania
was the nation’s largest Christmas
tree grower, annually harvesting
about 4.5 million trees. However,
State forester offers advice
to would-be Christmas tree growers
for a variety of reasons—a major
one being that 20 to 30 percent of
the nation’s Christmas tree market
had been captured by artificial
trees—Commonwealth growers
found themselves with too many
trees.
Many growers lost money, and
the state’s Christmas tree
production began a dramatic
declme.
Nevertheless, Finley says, then,
as now, high quality trees were in
short supply. While about 30
million live Christmas trees are
sold annually in the United States,
the highest demand—and price—
are for cone-shaped trees with
thick, even foliage.
What trips up many would-be
growers, Finley cautions, is the
“fine quality” proviso: quality
Christmas trees are produced by
dint of foresight, planning and
hard work—not to mention a bit of
luck. •
Then there’s the financial in
vestment.
“Many neophytes overlook this
aspect,” says Finley. “Not only
must they buy seedlings, but for
the first decade or so, they’ll get no
profit and their land will be tied up.
“Other realities are the tune and
money needed for maintenance.
Many novices are unprepared for
the disease or insect problems that
can decimate or severely damage
entire plantations. Few know of the
destruction done by weather,
birds, rodents, or deer, or of some
trees’ inability to adapt to a site.
Often, only 40 to 6C percent of a
grower’s trees are marketable.”
Many new Christmas tree
growers don’t know that, for op
timum tree growth, the land must
be limed and fertilized. Pesticides
must be applied annually to
minimize predator and disease
losses.
And expensive machinery is
needed to spray the trees, to mow
weeds and ,o harvest and transport
the crop. Finally, to increase the
number of forth quality trees, each
tree must be. i oned and shaped at
least five times during its growth
cycle.
Also, to be successful, growers
must avoid common mistakes:
such as mixing certain species,
thereby encouraging pest growth;
Make his Holiday Happy.
Make it Husqvarna
This Husqvarna is the work of
one design engineer.
He spends a lot of time engineering it.
And a lot more time out in the woods
working with the prototype. He may
decide it needs to go back to the drawing
board
When he’s satisfied himself he's
satisfied the toughest critic he has
That’s why the Husqvarna chain saw
you buy will exceed your expectations
Because it’s not created by the com
promise of a committee . it’s built on the
integrity of one man
@1 Husqvarna
The Chain Saw Professionals.
AMOS I. STOLTZFUS
R 1 Box 67
Kinzer, Pa. 17535
choosing species that make
popular Christmas trees, but are
less hardy and susceptible to
certain diseases; and being
unaware which species require
specialized care or hold their
needles longest.
“Finally,” Finley says,
“growers must have good road
access to their forests or plots, in
order to maintain plantings and to
harvest the crop.
“And, if their trees are near a
major highway a desirable
location for major producers as
well as small cut-your-own tree
operations growers must
beware of theft.
• BARN PAINTING .
• ROOF PAINTING
• BIN PAINTING
• MASONRY & EPOXY COATING
• Sandblast preparation
Barn Painting In Lane., York, Adams,
Harford, Baltimore, Carroll & Frederick
Counties
All work is guaranteed satisfactory.
“Call the Country Boys
with the Country Prices”
GEBHARTB
sg-tffliG
/ N
Agriculture • Industrial - Commercial
80x145A; R.D.4
. Hanover, PA 17331
Ph: 717-637-0222
* FREE ★
QUARTZ
ELECTRIC
HEATER
v olue $ B9
Offer J
Ends jw
Nov. EJ
“The
Conestoga
Fireplace Insert^
Put a big dent in fuel bills!
SPECIAL S«AA With this ad.
PRICE *1 #T
Bowman’s Stove Shop, Inc.
Tues, Wed, Sat 9-5 *
Thurs, Fn 9-9
Closed Mondays
R O 3, Napierville Road
Ephrata, PA 17522
Follow the signs from
the light at Hinkletown
I 717-733-4973
rj Financing Available
With The
Purchase
Of:
white they last.