The Forester and His Work 111 



these constant and often mischievous winds. The 

 best thing to do was to plant trees. 



Now the railroads have begun the same prac- 

 tice. Everyone who has crossed this continent 

 remembers the long lines of ugly snow fencing 

 which border the track shutting out beautiful 

 views. 



Railroad companies love it no better than 

 tourists do : it represents many dollars spent for 

 lumber, labor, and the moving of workmen and 

 materials. This fencing is portable; its sections 

 have to be laboriously distributed along the wind- 

 swept parts of the road every fall and collected 

 again in the spring. It rots, and a new set of 

 panels must be forthcoming every five years if 

 not oftener. 



Now it is suggested that railway tracks can be 

 kept clear by means of " live snow fences " — 

 lines of trees planted beside the track, just where 

 they will intercept the winter wind as it comes 

 howling across a plain or through .a gorge laden 

 with snow. 



The " live fences " are pretty and cheap, and 

 one railway at least, after thirty years trial finds 

 that they do their work thoroughly. 



" While other roads have been laboring with 

 the snow fence, the Omaha has been sitting back 

 and letting the trees do the work." 



Almost every dwelling on the plains, with its 

 barns and outbuildings, is protected by a grove, 



