DATE:     10/26/99
WRITER:   Bill Baker, (864) 656-3875
CONTACT:  Dr. George Kessler, (864) 656-4836

Clemson Co-Sponsors Christmas Tree Event

     CLEMSON -- How do I go about choosing the proper Christmas
tree? Should I cut my own or buy a pre-cut tree? What precautions
should I take to safely display my tree indoors?
     These and other questions will be answered Tuesday, Nov. 9
from 10 a.m. to noon at a special media event sponsored by
Clemson Extension and the South Carolina Christmas Tree
Association at May-Lan Christmas Tree Plantation. Extension
Forester George Kessler, local growers and other officials will
be on hand to provide information on Christmas trees and to
conduct demonstrations of how to choose and cut trees. 
     May-Lan is located at 156 Cooley Bridge Road in Pelzer. To
reach the tree farm, exit from Interstate 85 at Highway 8 and
travel through Pelzer to Ware Place. You can also exit from I-85
in Greenville on to U.S. 25 and travel south to Ware Place or you
can exit I-385 at S.C. 418 and take 418 to Ware Place. May-Lan is
located just south of the intersection of U.S. 25, S.C. 8 and
S.C. 418 on S.C. 247. Turn right onto 247 and travel about a 
half-mile until you see May-Lan on your right.
     In case of rain, this event will be rescheduled for Nov. 16
from 10 a.m. to noon.
     Videotaped footage of Kessler discussing how to choose, cut 
and care for trees, as well as a cutting demonstration, is
available upon request. For more information, call (864)
656-3875.  
     Officials from Clemson's new Home and Garden Information
Center will also be present to answer holiday-related home and
garden questions as well as to provide information about the
center. Clemson Extension is providing thousands of consumers
more information than ever before on food safety and preservation
topics, as well as home, yard and garden topics, through this new
effort.
     The center, which began operation May 5, provides
information via a toll-free phone call using a computerized
interactive voice response (IVR) system. Available to South
Carolina callers only, the phone number is 1-888-656-9988. In
addition, information is available on the web at
hgic.clemson.edu.
                         END