Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-04-08
THE POWER OF THE SUN.

Scientists and philosophers have
given the world many interesting
facts in regard to the mighty magni
tude and energy Of the sun. They
ascribe to it's power almost every
thing of light, power and life. They
deal with the laws relating to its heat,
its power to hold in place and to con-
troll the whole planetary system. 1t
will be the object of this simple arti-
Gle to call attention to the tremendous
labor the great orb will perform in the
northern hemisphere in the next two
months. The earth in it's swing and
circuit around the sun has just passed
the position where, III the simplest
terms, it has ''crossed the line" The
days and nights the world over were
then equal in length. The sun rose
exactly in the east and set in the west.
At the equator at noon the sun stood
exactly overhead. Since the 21st of
March the progress of the orb has
been northward; the days in this
hemisphere have been frightening
out, and will continue to grow longer
till the summer solstice is reached,
about June 81. When the sun return
ed to it's equatorial position it found
much of the northern hemisphere
locked in ice and covered with snow.
In the far northern regions there had
been perpetual darkness-no light of
Of f0- of itc,
disappearance toward the south, and
on its welcome return, it had just
skinned the southern horizon, it's
slanting rays giving very little light
or heat The terrific cold of the up
per regions and the northern realms
had frozen river, lake and sea. The
SHOWS had piled deep over the earth,
and the air, unwarmed by the rays of
sun, had fallen in temperature to
register of 40, so, even 100 degrees
below zero. The earth itself had be-
come frozen during the winter month
to depth ranging from few inches
to many feet. The Borean winds
from regions about and beyond the
down on the milder chimes with zero
breath. There was no visible sign of
life or verdure in plant or tree. The
giant trees of the forest were frozen
solid; every rootlet, bulb and plant
was colder than snow or ice. The
vegetable world was embalmed in ice
letters. Men had gone into furs and
warm clothing, and their homes were
only made comfortable by artificial
heat. Only as some of the SUMS heat
rays Of the years or the ages past we're
unfettered by the combustion ofwood
and coal was life made comfortable in
all the north regions.
But the sun has begun his great
work of changing the whole scene of
nature. Beginning his labor in the
early morning, he pours his immeasur-
able heat into cloud and atmosphere,
snow and ice, earth and sea, the whole
day long. His rays, which in the mid
winter months had fallen slantwise,
the heat and the light to be lessened
and reflected, now come pouring
straight down, and for twelve or more
hours their piercing, heating, ir-
resistible force is operating. The
snow melts, the ice yields, the air
warns and the force of heat penetrat-
es the frozen surface of the earth.
The heat, unrefected and held in the
snow earth or water is doing it's
work in the night time, while the
great orb passes round to do it's labor
of blessing on the other side of the
round earth. Day, after day, during
the spring months, the great work Of
heating the cold hemisphere goes on,
until air, earth and sea are all warm
ed
Meanwhile the birds have returned
from the south piping frogs have
dug themselves from their muddy
winter abodes the finny tribes have
awakened from the torpor of winter
insects have come to busy life hiber-
mating animals have left their earth
and cavern homes. The trees have
put on their verdure hues the earth