Forestry and the need of preserving the nation’s forest supply have been so thoroughly impressed on us of late that some of us feel actually guilty at the thought of having a Christmas tree this year.

“So far as endangering the future of life of our forests is concerned,” says Gifford Pinchot, chief forester at Washington, “the effect is infinitestimal compared to the destruction caused by wasteful lumbering and by forest fires. Suppose 4,000,000 Christmas trees are used in this country each year, one in every fourth family. If planted 4 feet apart, these can be grown on 1,400 acres. The amount is utterly insignificant when compared to the other great strains on the forests.”

50 years ago, 1957

• The U.S. Weather Bureau at Portland Municipal Airport today ruled out any possibility of a white Christmas in Maine. Mostly sunny and mild weather has been forecast for Christmas Day, and the Weather Bureau said temperatures would be “very much above normal.”

• The North Conway Chamber of Commerce today appealed to Gov. Lane Dwinell for emergency seeding of clouds in a desperate attempt to bring snow to this ski resort area. Ernest O. Dwelley, president, said resort operators, usually doing a booming business at this time of the year, will lose “several million dollars” because of lack of snow.

25 years ago, 1982

Lewiston-Auburn stores are selling everything from barking mechanical dogs and magic water snakes to chamois shirts and jewelry this holiday season, with most retailers admitting to a strong sales season overall.

Jim Randall, owner of Auburn Novelty Shop, reported a resurgence in sales of fuzzy dice, prank gifts like whoopie-cushions and hand buzzers, and a lot of stocking-stuffer items “to go along with the big video items many people are buying.”

At DeOrsey’s Record and Audio and Musicland, the album “Business as Usual” by Men at Work was the hottest seller.