Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, November 23, 1995                   TAG: 9511220048
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HOW TO KEEP YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE FRESH-LOOKING

Do a freshness test. Gently grasp a branch between your thumb and forefinger and pull it toward you. Very few needles should come off in your hand if the tree is fresh. Take a look at the ground around the tree. You should not see an excessive amount of green needles on the ground. Some loss of interior brown needles is normal and will occur over the lifetime of the tree.

Once you've chosen your tree, keep it in a sheltered, unheated area such as a porch or garage to protect it from the wind and sun until you are ready to decorate it.

Before you set up your tree, make a fresh, straight cut across the base of the trunk (about 1/2 inch up from the original cut) and place the tree in a tree stand that holds two or more quarts of water.

Never let your tree stand go dry.

A seal of dried sap will form over the cut stump in four to six hours if the water drops below the base of the tree, preventing the tree from absorbing water later when the stand is refilled. If a seal does form, another fresh cut will need to be made.

A tree will absorb as much as a gallon of water in the first 24 hours and one or more quarts a day thereafter. Water is important because it prevents the needles from drying and the boughs from drooping.

In addition, keep your tree away from heat and draft sources like fireplaces, radiators and TV sets. Test your light cords and connections before hanging them on the tree to make sure they're in good working order. You don't want to use cords with cracked insulation or broken or empty sockets. Also be sure to unplug the lights before you go to bed or leave the house.