| Balsam fir is used to make Christmas
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| | tips they purchase. It's hard to produce
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| wreaths and Christmas centerpieces in
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| | a top quality wreath if you don't have
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| Maine because it is plentiful and makes
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| | top quality balsam tips to start with.
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| beautifully fragrant wreaths. The tips of
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| | The tips should have needles on all sides
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| the branches are used which is the end
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| | of the tip's stems appearing rounded.
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| portion. The tips are cut in lengths from
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| | They should be a dark green color. They
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| 12 to 20 inches. One tip is normally
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| | also should be free of any sign of insect
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| broken into two or three pieces, bunched
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| | damage.
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| together and then wired onto the wreath
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| | The best quality tips come from the
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| ring.
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| | middle of the tree. The branches on the
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| Gathering the balsam tips is called
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| | top of the trees oftentimes have long
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| tipping. Tipping can't start until late
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| | stems and the bottom branches usually
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| fall after the needles are set which is
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| | only have needles on one side. Naturally,
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| normally after the first few frosts.
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| | wreath producers purchasing tips are
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| After the needles are set the balsam fir
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| | looking for the deep green, rounded tips
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| tree will stop growing, staying dormant,
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| | that come from the middle of the trees.
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| until spring. The pores in the needles
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| | After cutting the tips are stacked on a
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| are sealed by a waxy coating that covers
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| | stick in alternate directions until the
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| the needle's surface. If tips are
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| | stick weighs between 50 and 75 lbs. with
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| gathered before setting the needles fall
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| | twine attached to the ends for carrying.
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| off in a short time and can't be used. In
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| | They are then taken to be sold to the
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| Maine, balsam brush shouldn't be
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| | local wreath producers. The tips are sold
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| collected until after November 1 with a
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| | according to their weight.
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| minimum of three consecutive 20 degree or
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| | Global warming may have an adverse effect
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| colder nights.
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| | on the Christmas wreath industry in Maine
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| To gather tips on privately owned forests
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| | if it continues as predicted. As the fall
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| the tippers have to get permission. Large
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| | gets warmer and warmer it's possible that
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| corporations issue permits with fees for
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| | we won't have the needed frost to set the
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| their property. Most wreath producers are
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| | needles on the balsam fir trees until
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| very particular about the quality of the
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| | it's too late for the Christmas season.
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