The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1883-01-10

sink to the bottom as soon as form
ed Why, long, long ages ago,
their basins would have been con-
verted into one solid mass of impen-
etrable ice, upon which the hottest
summers sun would have had no
power, apart from the degree ofeold
which would prevail, to the injury Of
vegetation, whence would the soil
obtain its moisture whence would
the large cities obtain their supply
OF water, if it was only to be had by
the melting of ice ?
In this strange departure of water
in it's solid form, from the well known
law above referred to--of increased
den. ity or weight OF fluids in proper
ton to their decrease in temperature
lis exhibited another Of those strik.
ing proofs by which we are every
where surrounded, of the wisdom
and loving care with which the Faith
er of all provides fol His children.
Most terrible would be the conse-
quences to the human race, were ice
to obey the common law of density,
and therefore it is endowed with
that power OF RATIFICATION which eua-
bles it to defy this law to all practi-
cal purposes, and, while denser than
the water of which it is formed, yet
still to be lighter, and 20 float upon
its surface.
For many years this peculiar qua~
ity of ice was source of unceasing
wonder and mystery to the savants,
but science has finally solved this,
along with hundreds of other strange
problems.
Everyone knows that water is
composed of an Infinite number Of
tiny globules, and that in the inter-
stices between these globules, no in-
considerable quantity OF air is re.
tanned. We know, too, that air is
elastic; but here, imprisoned iu the
midst Of the water, its elasticity is
lost, because its particles are divided
into such infnitisemal portions, that
each portion is of itself powerless ;
and yet these tiny air bubbles cons
ceal an immense power in their midst,
and have an all>important part to
act by and-bye.
AS water commences to assume
the solid form, called ice, Its glob
ules contract. and taking the shape
of minute filaments orthreads adhere
to each other at an angle of sixty de
grees; and now has come the time
for the little air-prisoners TO hegin
their Gareer1of Usefulness.
AS the globules Of water draw tor
gether and unite, their interstices be-
come enlarged, several uniting to
form one, wherein number OF tiny
particles gather together, finding
In unity, the power they had lost in
separation.
And here the air bubbles begin to
expand. The greater the degree of
cold, the denser becomes the tiny
filaments; the wider grow the inter
stices between them; the larger be-.
come the spaces occupied by the ex>
banding air, and consequently, the
lighter becomes the ice.
And thus we SEE that it is to the
little air bubbles, hidden away in the
water, that we owe the incalculable
blessing of ice that floats, instead OF
sinking.
For while we know that God is
able to say to the ice Thou shalt
float" and it would obey, though ten
times heavier than water, yet we also
know that He speaks not now in mir
acles, but prefers to attain His de-
sired ends by visible means, whose
harmonious workings are open to
view.
Thus to the humble air bubbles
are confded the important trust of
preserving mankind from the dlreful
calamit1es that would be entailed
upon them by the sinking OF the Ice
that now floats on our lakes and rlv.,
ers.
If Won examine field OF ice res
Gently formed, you will find that it
is Just one>tourth lighter than water;
place it where it will be exposed to
a still greater degree OF cola, and
then try again, and you will tind it
to be twelfth part lighter. This, as
you will readily perceive, is the nat
ural result of the increased expansion
of the air it contains, following on
the increased density OF the ice
flaments, and in this result we
have the cause and effect OF the
bursting asunder of any trai. vessel
in which water has been allowed to
freeze; ice occupies one-sixth more
space than it required in its liquid
form. and if this increase OF room be