Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-23

come uninhabited by men aud animals tha
now supports millions of living creatures
How bsneatent is the plan that wrought
out this exception and renders so vast
region capable Of teeming with happy mil
lions, filling the earth with gladness, thanks
giving aud song! But each particle of ic'
being Of larger volume than in the fluid
state-its specific gravity being less-Aoat.
upon the surface, Is succeeded by other,
below until sheet is formed SO thick as "a
protect the adjacent water from the cold
above, and its denizcns from utter annihila.
ton. t.0I 'ti
snow IS anotherso solid form in which water
is seen, sometimes in greater abundance than
we could wish, yet by no means without its
advantage. In this latitude the earth
must freeze to great depth without il I;
moreover the soil would be subjected to the
Attenuation OF freezing aud thawing tender
roots and grasses that are preserved in vigor
under carpet OF snow would be killed or
injured by the exposure In this locality
the disastrous effects Of an "open winter, :"
little snow and variable temperature are
manifest now 10 the sad appearance of many
excellent meadows.
Aside from its mechanical value as COW
erlng for the roots OF tender plants, snow
possesses a value for the ammonia il bring
down. or for the animal matter that in it's
decay aeIlVers up ammonia, and, no doubt,
Tor this reason has gained the cognomen Of
the "Poor mans manure" Liebig found
ammonia in the SHOWS of Gisseu; Johnston
detected it in the SHOWS Of Durham; and
there is no doubt that the SHOWS of all coun.
tries contain it in variable quantity. 1t
would be expected that the first SHOWS would
bring down the largest amount, since after
the earth becomes frozen aud covered up its
ascent from decaying organic matter must
partially or wholly cease. Aud this is
found to be true. Lying upon and around
the plant protecting it by an ample cover
and presenting to the roots valuable ferti.
izer, who can manure the latent strength
that is silently added by the irst SHOWS
ready to develop iuto activity on the recur.
renee of vernal influences
Like water in its fluid state, snow always
contains quantity Of air. In water we
found the air to have an excess OF oxv.
gen /; in snow it has deficiency. The at.
nosphere contains 2l per cent Of this gas
but the air absorbed by snow contains no.
'ording to DE Sau,sure even less
Some discussion has been had at different
lines in relation to the action of frost in the
destruction Of vegetable life but the modus
,pera'Hfi is yet prOblematical. BY the OK.
'ansion Of the water Of the plant by frost.
he tissue must also be expanded and when
{ is considered that freezing water will
'urst iron vessels and lift the heaviest weights
IS mere toys, it will not appear improbable
hat the tissue is shattered into atomic divi-
ion, yet not to that extent to destroy cohe.
i've attraction. Assuming frost to act in
his way 1t is DOT difficult to see that it
would destroy vegetable life. But while
ne ANNALS and tropicals are destroyed-in
his waY.it may be--Other plants of our
one are subjected to the rigors of winter
nd thoroughly frozen without harm. In
mat does tAsir resistance to frost consist ?
IT. f'hard has attempted to solve the prob
'm oy showing that the juice Of some plants
as the power to resist frost, when the juice
others VIII freeze but his experiment is
ardly satisfactory. lie found that the