28 
FOREST AND 
STREAM 
January, 1920 
THE SKI AND ITS USE 
By Gustav E. Janssan 
W HAT is more fascinating than to 
quietly and softly glide over the 
blending white, snow-covered 
fields on a pair of ski, or slide down a 
gentle slope during a bright moonlight 
night, when snow-crystals glimmer like 
milliards of diamonds, while the shad- 
ows creep black and low round the 
mighty pine and fir. The one who once 
enjoyed the merry slide on ski, will for- 
ever be a devotee of this healthful 
sport. 
Unfortunately, however, the American 
outdoorsmen have only recently giver, 
skiing the consideration its many splen- 
E are depending upon the 
friends and admirers of our 
old correspondent Nessmuk to make 
this department worthy of his 
name. No man knew the woods 
better than Nessmuk or wrote of 
them with quainter charm. Many 
of his practical ideas on camping 
and “ going light ” have been 
adopted by the United States Army; 
his canoe has been preserved in the 
Smithsonian Institution; and we 
hope that all good woodsmen will 
contribute to this department their 
Hints and Kinks and trail-tested 
contrivances. — [Editors.] 
I N SELECTING ski always look over 
them carefully and see that no knots 
or other imperfections are in the 
wood. A good ski should have straight 
axial grains, as cross grains mean weak- 
good ski and a pair of poles and start 
out some bright morning. 
You can get the proper length of your 
ski by standing straight at the side of 
them, stretching your hand above your 
F<£. 
& 
head. The proper length is then as far 
as your fingertips can reach above you. 
The balancing of the ski is also of 
great importance if the ski is intended 
