<P> The practice of cultivating evergreens specifically to sell as Christmas trees dates back to 1901, when a 25,000 tree Norway spruce farm was sown near Trenton, New Jersey . The commercial market for Christmas trees had started fifty years earlier when a farmer from the Catskill Mountains brought trees into New York City to sell . Despite these pioneering efforts, most people still obtained wild - grown Christmas trees from forests into the 1930s and 1940s . More trees were grown in plantations after World War II, and by the 1950s farmers were shearing and pruning trees to meet customer demands . The Christmas tree market burgeoned through the 1960s and 1970s, but from the late 1980s onward prices and the market for natural Christmas trees declined . In the early 21st century, nearly 98 percent of all natural (non-artificial) Christmas trees sold worldwide were grown on tree farms . </P> <P> Christmas tree farms are best located on relatively level land which is free of obstructions . In the past, Christmas tree farmers established their plantations on less desirable agricultural plots or "wastelands of agriculture". However, emphasis in modern Christmas tree farming has shifted toward the production of higher - quality trees, increasing land quality expectations as well . Indeed, some species of tree, such as the Fraser fir, are unable to grow on low - quality, marginal farmland . Flat or gently rolling land is preferred to that with steep slopes and inclines, which is prone to erosion and fluctuations in fertility . Noticeable obstructions, such as rocks, fences or significant underbrush, are also undesirable . </P> <P> Like all crops and plants, Christmas trees require a specific set of nutrients to thrive . There are 16 elements crucial for growth; of those, three are obtained through air and water: hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen . Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, boron, copper, chlorine, manganese, molybdenum, iron, and zinc are obtained from the soil . If the necessary elements are not available in the local soil, nutritious fertilizers are used . Other important soil considerations include pH and drainage . Certain types of soil are preferable, depending on the type of tree . Pine trees are usually better adapted to a sandy or sandy loam soil, while white spruce trees and fir trees, such as the Douglas - fir, prefer fine - texture loams and clay loam soils . Some trees grow well in all types of soil, but in any case, the land must be well - drained for a Christmas tree farm to have a chance of thriving . </P> <P> The weather, as with other agricultural endeavors, plays a key outcome in the yield of a Christmas tree farm . Severe cold in the winter and extreme hot and dry conditions during and after harvest can cause irreparable damage to the crop . Early snow can make both harvesting and shipping trees difficult or impossible . </P>

What type of soil do christmas trees grow in
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