By ERNEST A. RUDGE
Lecture delivered before the South W a l e s Section on Dec. 21, 1933 'l'h Cliristiiiris 'I'rcc is n syinl)ol of wliich tlic origin is shrouded i n mystery. It is :I plciisiint spcculiition that its et,linologiciiI signifiaincc miy rcprcscnt tlic rcgiirtl of tlic nictlircval Gerinari forester for the fir-t.rcc, wliicli filled his little world. I f this be truc, it is oiic of thc w r y few instiinecs in folk-lore or history in wliich tlic tree wiis tlic objcct of vciicriitioii hy iiiiinkind. And this is siirprising for, throiiglioiit t~lic iiges, t l ~c ~ II:IS bccli 110 liiorc g ~~i e ~~l l y 1lScfi1l scrriilit. to tiii111 tliiili t,lic trcc. TO the first innti it \*;is ii lionic, iintl it jiiivc Iiini liis first weapon, ii club. I t Iiiis proviclccl sltcltcr, food, wiirmtli, nut1
ii tlioiisiincl ~)rodiicts to liis w4-l)cing iind iisc. We tclitl 10 IOSC sight of' ~I I C fiict t I t i i t long I)cfore tlic Age of Stonc. t licrc ~iiirst of itcccssity fiavc I)ecri ii Timber Age. It iiiuy be iisscrtetl with confitleiice tliiit t.lic Agc!,of 'l'iinbcr is still with us, for niotlcrn civiliziition ttitist ~)crforcc still go to the forest for tlic riiw tiiiiteriuls for iniiny incliist.rics. I n vicw of tliis, it is st riingcr st ill thiit wood Iiiis rc!tiiiiincrl outside tlic iritcrcst of th piire cliciiiist, pro1)iibIy on iiccoiint of' tlic I)rcviilctiI, i t l ~i i t lliiti t.iliilJcr will ultiniiitcly be rcplncetl Iiy ot Iicr tiiiitcriiils of coninicrcc. !l'licrc :ire sips t,ltiit t.lris rcpliiccl1icitt is riipidly i ~p p r ~i i ~l i i ~i g its liiiiit : iilitl c:en so, Iiiotlcrn clcniiintls npon tlic world's h n l w reso~~rccs iirc in csccss of tlic supply. ! I ' h rdiziitio1i of illllliilicJit shortiige 110s lint1 the cllcct, of fociissitig scientific :it tcntion on t l i e Intitter, lor to-thy I)rii(:ticnllp c \ ~y titiibcr-prodiiciii:: iiiition miiiitiiins forcst,ry coniinissio~is, wliose work lies in