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While the first Christmas tree farm may have appeared as early as 1901, Christmas tree production in the United States was largely limited to what could be harvested from natural forests until the 1950s. Among the important Christmas tree producing areas in the U.S. are Wisconsin, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and the Pacific Northwest. In 2002 Christmas tree production in the United States totaled 20.8 million trees and the U.S. was one of the world's leading producers of natural Christmas trees. That same year, Pennsylvania was the top producer in the United States. ==Production history== The first (tree farm ) in the United States is believed to have begun in 1901 when 25,000 Norway Spruce trees were planted by W. V. McGalliard in Mercer County, near Trenton, New Jersey.〔Faber Harold. "(Off to the farm for a Christmas tree )," ''The New York Times'', December 2, 1990, pg. 17. Retrieved September 23, 2012.〕 The trees were sold seven years later for US$1.00 each.〔Fischman, Bernice and Tilt, Ken. "(History of the Christmas Tree )," College of Agriculture – Horticulture, ''Auburn University''. Retrieved September 23, 2012.〕 Despite the early pioneers of the industry, by the late 1940s 90 percent of all natural Christmas trees sold in the United States were still harvested from forests. The most popular species during that era, Balsam Fir, Douglas-fir, Black Spruce and White Spruce, were all readily available from forests.〔Chastagner, Gary A., and Benson, D. Michael. "(The Christmas Tree: Traditions, Production and Diseases )," ''Plant Management Network International'', (authors from North Carolina State University and Washington State University), October 13, 2001. Retrieved September 23, 2012.〕 Following World War II more trees began to be planted in plantations. Other changes were taking place as well, in the late 1940s and early 1950s farmers began to sheer trees in respond to customer demands for denser trees.〔 During the 1960s the market for Christmas trees in the United States began to change. The number of part-time growers declined, while some part-time growers ceased operations others expanded their operations and became full-time Christmas tree farmers. Expansion occurred in all major U.S. Christmas tree growing regions, Michigan, the Pacific Northwest and North Carolina.〔 The number of plantings increased during the late 1970s and continued to do so into the 1980s.〔〔 B From 1977 to 1979 total U.S. production reached about 29 million Christmas trees annually.〔 One species, Scots Pine was planted in numbers which far exceeded demand for the product. As the number of individual farmers increased, better marketing strategies and promotion programs were developed.〔 Helicopters became a fixture on large farms during the early 1980s as growers used them to move trees from the field to the shipping yard.〔 Between 1988 and 1994 U.S. the number of Christmas trees harvested in the U.S. was about 34–36 million per year.〔Pollack, Susan, et al., "(Christmas Trees: An Economic Assessment of the Feasibility of Providing Multiple-Peril Crop Insurance )", ''USDA Economic Research Service'', February 13, 1995. Retrieved September 26, 2012.〕 In 2002, in the United States, 21,904 Christmas tree farms covered of cropland and accounted for 20.8 million Christmas trees cut.〔"(Woodland Crops: 2002 and 1997 )," (PDF), 2002 Census of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service ''United States Department of Agriculture''. Retrieved September 23, 2012.〕 Of those farms, 686 harvested or more, which accounted for over 196,000 of the total acres of trees harvested. That same year, there were only three U.S. Christmas tree farms with more than of cropland in production.〔 Pennsylvania was home to the most American Christmas tree farms in 2002; the state boasted 2,164 farms. Oregon, however, had the most acreage devoted to the crop with 67,800 acres being used for Christmas tree farming.〔"(The Holiday Season )," (Press release), ''United States Census Bureau'', via seniorjournal.com, December 24, 2005. Retrieved September 23, 2012.〕 The total U.S. crop in 2004 was valued at $506 million with $143 million attributed to the nation's leading producer in 2004, Oregon.〔 Oregon was followed in production numbers by North Carolina, Washington, and Michigan.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Christmas tree production in the United States」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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