254 FORESTS, RESERVOIRS, AND STREAM FLOW 
trees on the north side of the road, where the sun had access through 
the opening in the tree-tops caused by the 30-ft. clearing for the road- 
way. Fig.2, Plate XX XVII, taken practically at the same time, zhows 
one of the great drifts in the open country, which it was impossible 
to avoid in locating the road. 
At this time a period of very warm weather had set in, with fre- 
quent rains. Severe floods followed which did great injury to the 
roads and bridges, not only in the mountains, but for a considerable 
distance below. Within two weeks the snow had practically disap- 
peared in the forests, but in the open country the drifts, like that in 
the photograph, continued until the middle of July, giving forth a 
continuous supply of water. 
A most illuminating article, and one which every one interested 
in the subject should read, was published in Science for April 10th, 
1896. It gives the results of observations in the mountains of Nevada 
for more than 25 years, during which “extensive tracts of timber” were 
cut off “to the very ground,” and new growths had been well started. It 
was found that springs, which were active after the land was cleared, 
dried up when the new forest growth developed; “that the water supply 
from the mountains is greater and more permanent now than it was 
before the timber was cut off’; that freshets were no more “frequent 
or violent than before the trees were cut off,” and that “spring floods 
were less frequent.” The greatly increased loss due to evaporation in 
the forest was pointed out. This results partly from the vast extent of 
surface on the ground exposed to the air and partly from exposure 
on the leaves and branches of the trees. 
“The foliage on this class of trees being as heavy in winter as in 
summer, the branches catch an immense amount of the falling snow 
and hold it up in mid-air for both sun and air to work upon; and only 
those who have had experience of the absorbing power of the dry 
mountain air can form any idea of the loss from that source.” More- 
over, “the trees absorb from the soil quite as much water as would be 
evaporated by the action of the sun in the absence of the shade.” 
The writer of that article states that 
“the strongest force at work to save our rivers is the drifting winds 
which heap up the snow in great banks; and in this the trees are a con- 
stant obstacle.” He declares that “close observers, after long years of 
study, have been led to believe that if there is any difference in the 
