Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-01-27
The FRosr WoRK on MI. WAsHIxerox.-
Prof Huntington writes as fellows from the
Tip Top House, on Mt. WASHINGTON

TrOI. huntington writes as fellows from the
Tip Top House, On Mt. Washington
The &c frost work. is one of the most remark
aole phenomenon Of this high altitude As few
nave ever seen it, and none have attempted to
describe 1t, and as the that produce it are
but imperfectly understood, we shall perhaps be
pardoned if we present tome rather crude ideas
IN regard to it. 1t is difficult also to convey in
words any idea OF its wonderful form and beauty.
From the study given 10 it last winter, and the
opportunities we have had Of observing its for
nation this. We are able to give what seems to
US a plausible, if not correct theory to account
for this, the most plastic of all the handywork
Of nature. At our very first observation we see
that it forms only when the wind is northward.
j. eat some point between n. and W. or n and
E., and never when the wind is southwark. Il
begins with mere points, on everything the
wind reaches, on the rocks, on the Snow, on the
railway and on every part Of the buildings even
on the glass On the south side it is very slight.
as the wind reaches there only in ediying gusts
When the surface is rough, the points, as they
begin, are an inch or more apart when smooth
it almost eatrely covers the surface at the very
beginning, bnt soon only few points elongate,
50, on whatever surface it begins to form, il has
very soen the same general appearance, present. /
ing everywhere the same beautiful faathery-like !
forms. In going up the mountain we do not see I
it until We get some distance above the limit Of |
the trees it Is nearly mile before It is seen in
Its characteristic forms, and it is only immedi- /
ately about the summit that it presents its most /
attractive features. We notice also that it al /
ways forms towards the wind, never from il, and I
the rapldity with which il forms and the great 4
length Of the horizontal masses is truly wonder I
ful. We placed Il round stick. an inch in diam /
eter, in vertical position, where il was exposed /
to the full force Of the wind, and in less than 4
two dsys some of the horizontal iccles-we call .
them cicles for the want Of a more appropriate
name-weTe tive feet in length and scarcely sny
thicker thsn tae stick itself They formed on
every part Of the stick that was exposed, but Of
course some poin.s were much longer than 9TH
ers. They remained several DAYS hut with a
change Of wind they were blown of. On some
OF the piles Of stones south Of the house these
masses are now more than five feet in
length. On the southern exposures, instead Of
the tros. work, there are only masses Of
pure ice, which have always a peculiar hue OF
greenisa blue. In the early part Of December,
when the Thermometer ranged from p 20 - .
and the wind vas southwark, the ice formed 10
the Thickness Of a fo0t or uu.e Oh the telegraph /
poles ncar the house. These icy masses are
formed evidently by the condensation q the va
por OF the atmosphere. as it is 10. uncommon
for it TO be above the point Of saiuration. The
- frost work is slsj formed by the condensa-
tion Of vapor, bat besides the yap0r, tie air
must be Elied with minute spicu..e Of ice. As
the vapor c0n!euses these are caught and thus
the horizontal fesihery masses are formed. This
lcccuuts for the acJs that we have observed,
namely thst it firms whsn the wind is north
ward and always toward the Viul