THE ICE-COAT ON THE TREES 167 
In any event, the results of the weighings and measurements 
above mentioned should be included and the beneficial effects 
in pruning of dead branches and twigs, and the harmful 
effects of breakage of twigs on trees of different sorts, should 
be recorded. 
Specific assignments of work to be done is, therefore, left to 
the instructor. 
An additional study on The Snow-Coat of the Trees may be 
made immediately after the fall of a soft heavy snow, before 
it is disturbed by either wind or sun. Many of the same 
phenomena noted in the preceding outline will be observable. 
There will be little damage to the trees observed; for the 
snow, loosely piled, is easily dislodged. It is heaped up on 
every possible support, and the differences in the aspect of 
the trees is due to the differences in the nature of the support 
for the snow that they offer. Horizontal boughs are con- 
tinuously robed in white; erect boughs bear segregated snow 
massesin their forks. Every stub and angle and bud is snow- 
capped. Little hillocks of snow rest upon the upturned fruit 
clusters of sumach and wild carrot, and equally upon 
the pendent clusters of ninebarks and mountain ash. The 
bushy crown of close-growing shrubs are wholly enveloped in 
a meshwork of white; so, also, are the interlacing sprays of 
witch-hazel and spreading dogwood. Great masses of white 
rest upon the declining boughs of hemlocks and other ever- 
greens; and each of these masses in the spruce terminates in 
blunt finger-like processes, and looks like a great clumsy glove 
backed with ermine. The color contrasts which the snow 
makes with the dark boughs of the oaks, with the red twigs 
of the osier dogwoods, and with the scarlet fruit of bar- 
berries, are charming. Observing and recording such things 
as these is a pleasant occupation for a still winter morning fol- 
lowing a snowfall, when the out-of-doors is like a fairy land. 
