250 UNDER THE OPEN SKY 



snow can lie long on the ground. Throw 

 dirt on the snow, and its dark color quickly 

 makes it eat its way in whenever the sun 

 shines on it. After a snow-storm, once let 

 the horses' feet mingle the dirt of the road 

 with the snow and sleighing will soon be 

 over. 



nature's irrigation plans 



Nature secures another advantage by 

 changing the water into snow. All through 

 the winter, while the plant world has not 

 sufficient sunlight and warmth to grow, she 

 collects on the high regions the water not 

 now needed by the plants, and holds it back; 

 not in dams and lakes that might break and 

 flood the valleys, and which in any event 

 could only water the lowlands ; but on every 

 height she gathers a store of water that will 

 not flow away and needs no damming, but 

 which is ready, when the first warm, sun- 

 shiny days of spring come, to allow its life- 

 giving streams to find their way gently down 

 the hills to the valleys below, and to ooze 

 slowly through the ground to the plants that 



