298 OLD PLYMOUTH TRAILS 



that the outside cold cannot penetrate altogether. 

 This is the outer winter overcoat of the woods. 

 Even deciduous trees provide it and the level 

 boughs of evergreens give layer after layer of 

 air that fends from the cold. Even without the 

 snow, the frost penetrates but a little way in the 

 earth of the woods. No matter how low the 

 temperature above the tree-tops and in the open 

 spaces, the ground beneath the trees hardly 

 freezes, and, if the snow comes, the moment its 

 blanket is spread the temperature beneath it 

 warms to above freezing and the frost comes out. 

 Deep snows are hard on certain winter birds, 

 but they are the salvation of many of the smaller 

 winter animals and they provide man with one 

 of the chief joys of the winter woods. 



Going forth at dawn one has the full joy of the 

 day before him and need leave no pleasure un- 

 tasted. It is something worth while to meet the 

 sun on such a morning. No wonder the ancient 

 Persians worshipped him. Even his first rays 

 enfold you with a warmth that the thermometer 

 might not notice but which is none the less real 

 for all that. They set the fires of the spirit burn- 

 ing more brightly, warming the cockles of the 

 heart and raising the temperature of the man if 



