Local farmers gathered holly and switches for the wreaths from their own woods, fabricated the wreaths at home, then delivered them to Chandler's father for packing and shipping. In 1939, selling holly wreaths and branches to the city was a $400,000 a year business which gave farmers some much-needed cash during the holiday season. Within several decades, however, the trade had disappeared. Over harvesting and the clearing of Kent and Sussex native pine forests, where the State tree grew as an under story species, drastically reduced the number of native holly trees. By that time, plastic wreaths had already begun to replace fresh ones during Christmas. Like menhaden fishing and peach farming, holly wreath making passed into Delaware's agricultural history.