The Democratic advocate., 1878-12-14
The First Spit of Snow.

The Gases of the Sparkling Appearance of Snow,
why 1t Crystalises and Its Benefits.
ThS, ,fall of the few fakes ofsnow on the
23d ultA gives warning to us that the Pc
riod is near when the streams will be lock-
ed in the icy embrace of winter and the
landscape1 be covered with his feecy man.
tie; when, instead Of the pleasing green of
summer orSthe varied hues of Autumn,
the eye viii he met by the G lare and spar.
kle of the contant covering of portions of
the frigid zoneS Snow, although in many
instances a rec of Inconvenience and
danger, is not without its uses, and by its
adoption to the purposes which it sub
serves affords proof of the wisdom OF the
Great Designer. A poor conductor OF
heat, it keeps the temperature OF the
earth the same as that temperature was
when it fell, and prevents vegetation from
being destroyed by intense cold. If it
was not almost perfect reflector OF light
no part of the frigid zones would be hab-
liable, and the slowness with which it is
Dissolved by the returning heat of spring
causes it to become means of storing the
earth with moisture for the supply of
streams and the nourishment of plants.
The diamond-like sparkle of snow arises
from its fakes being crystalized, and, this
while it adds to the beauty of this attend
ant of winter, also causes Ii to become
more compact and stationary. If snow
descended in dust-like particles it would
be moved by every breath Of air, and, in
stead of remaining as warm covering
to vegetation, would be accumulated in
every hollow and around every dwelling.
Here it would be piled in impossible
drifts, there the exposed plain would be
deprived of its greatest protection against
all-destroying frosts. To what's the crys-
talization of snow owing? Why is it
that substances when they pass from a liq-
uid to q solid state assumes certain forms? ?
are questions not easily answered. The
theory that the particles of matter are
infinitely devisible no longer prevails.
Physicists now have generally come to the
conclusion that the molecules of matter
have defined forms which are unchangable.
These molecules, when brought in close
affinity under the influence of magnetic or
electrical attraction, have poles OF attrac-
ton and repulsion which cause them to
solidify under a particular form. That
the molecules of matter have tendency
to arrange themselves in one manner in
preference to others is manifest where the
crystalization is not so distinctly seen. A
piece of highly heated iron when cooled
quickly is brittle; when its temperature is
reduced slowly it has greater strength.
The theory which has been advanced to
account for the crystalization of snow will
also account for the fact that ice expands
when it reaches temperature of about
forty degrees below zero. 1t is owing to
this that it floats upon water instead OF
sinking, as it would do if it continued to
contract Snow, as everyone is aware,
is only frozen vapor, and temperature
below freezing point is, therefore, necessary
for its formation, and the lower the tenn
perature the more distinct and beautiful
the crystalization. But while the snow
flakes become compact and more distinct
by diminution of temperature the air
also becomes more dense and capable OF
sustaining the frozen vapor. Hence the
common observation, "that it is too cold to
snow" is not without foundation IN fact.
The amount of snow which falls during
any winter is dependent on variety OF
causes. As general rule severe winter
in Europe has its counterpart in mild win
ter in America, and when the temperature
is high during that season of the year on
both continents storms of unusual violence
and frequency generally prevail on the
Atlantic ocean America, however, is
no longer visited by snow storms like the
one in February, 1717, which continued
for four days without intermission and was
six feet deep. There are now occasion
ally winters of more than usual severity, but
none of them are equal to what the records
tell us of the winters of 174O and l7oO,
when deer, squirrels and birds perished
and the Delaware was closed three months.