RELATIONSHIP OF US-DEPARTMENT-OF-AGRICULTURE GRADES TO THE VALUE OF FRASER FIR CHRISTMAS TREES

Wholesale values, retail values of five eastern United States lots, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture (USDA) Christmas-tree grades, and measurements of various growth and quality traits were obtained on greater than or equal to 1400 Fraser fir [Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.] (8 years old) Christmas trees, Retail lot values were similar, but average retail va lue correlated poorly with wholesale value within merchandising height classes. For each of the current wholesale categories (defined by the combination of 30.5-cm interval height classes and USDA grades), aver age values ranged widely, Some cull-grade trees, which would be uumerc hantable according to USDA standards, had moderate retail value. Also, the retail mean of any one wholesale category generally was not signi ficantly different from that of adjacent categories. Some tree quality defects that have equal impact on USDA grade, and consequently wholes ale value, differed widely in their effect on retail values. This stud y indicates that current USDA Christmas-tree grade standards do not ad equately differentiate Fraser fir trees with respect to their retail v alue. We propose a new method of Christmas-tree quality certification that involves computed Christmas-tree quality index values that offer greater accuracy in describing quality with respect to retail value.