Trimming the Tree 4

Treatment for fire-resistance should be done several days before the tree is brought indoors. There are several methods. The most thorough is to use ammonium phos­phate, enough to equal one-quarter the weight of the tree. Dissolve the chemical at the rate of one pound to one and a half pints of water. Make a fresh cut at the base of the tree and stand it in the solution, in a cool room, until the liquid has been absorbed. Ordinarily this will take from three to four days.

Another method is to spray the tree or cut branches of evergreens thoroughly with a similar solution, using one pound of ammonium phosphate to ten gallons of water. Half a gallon will coat a six- to eight-foot tree. The treatment leaves little residue and is in no way objectionable. Spraying should be done outdoors and the tree and greens allowed to dry before they are taken in­side.

Bows, ornaments and fruits should not be attached until after the spraying. It is advisable to spread news­papers on the area where the work is done; they will absorb excess liquid and prevent discoloration of the work surface.

Trees are considerably less of a fire hazard if they are securely fastened in their stands, so that they cannot topple toward a fireplace or candle flame. The danger of fire is further lessened by using a stand that holds water. An ordinary bucket will serve the purpose. Place the trunk in the bucket; then surround it with stones or gravel to the top. A wooden wedge, driven down into the ballast around the trunk, makes the tree more secure. Add water to the contents of the bucket and keep it filled through the holidays.

A cut tree will last longer if supplied with plant food. Use any complete chemical fertilizer at the rate of one teaspoonful to a quart of water. The nutrient solution, absorbed by the tree, will stimulate temporary growth which will keep the tree green and fresh for a week or so. About a quarter pound of complete fertilizer will be required for the first filling of the bucket; it may be mixed with water in advance or put on the stones or gravel before water is added.

These simple precautions add much to the enjoyment of Christmas by minimizing the danger of fire, which sometimes turns a happy holiday into tragic disaster.
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