Tree Facts for the Holidays

To check for freshness, remember:

• A fresh tree is green.
• Fresh needles are hard to pull from branches.
• When bent between your fingers, fresh needles do not break.
• The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin.

When the trunk of a tree is bounced on the ground, a shower of falling needles shows that tree is too dry. Place tree away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources. Heated rooms dry trees out rapidly, creating fire hazards. Cut off about two inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption. Trim away branches as necessary to set tree trunk in the base of a sturdy, water-holding stand with wide spread feet. Keep the stand filled with water while the tree is indoors.
Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Use thin guy-wires to secure a large tree to walls or ceiling. These wires are almost invisible.