The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1900-06-29
TEN PAGES.
Town TOPICS.
The Frost King The Farmers
Friend.
A PAPER BY REV @. W. FRANCIS OF
BRooKFIED, READ BEFORE PooTATUOK
GRANGE OF NEWTOWN.

activity and all interests of the husband |
men bow to his sway. Not only so, bat |
he throws forward his shadow over the
greater part of the remainder of the year
so that whatever Is done has reference to
the conditions which will attend his full
dominion. For example, the labor of the
haying season, time Of intense toll, has
regard to the needs of stock during the
months when grass is not available for
feed. So large barns nust be built for
shelter of stock and storage Of food with
all the expense and labor involved. So
also much of the work in planting, SOW
ing and gathering looks forward to the
months when the fields are unproductive
and the trees are bare, and, for the time,
the earth is q frozen desert. Take into
account the construction of houses to fit
them for the months of frost and snow
and the whole arrangements of plans for
work which have these conditions in
view and we see at a glance that the
Frost King asserts his power and levies
his claim upon all the Industries of the
year. Then think of his actual power
and almost complete sway during the
months of his dominion. How he calls
men away, by power they cannot dis
regard, from their work of cultivating
their fields, imposes upon them the
tasks of feeding and caring for their
stock several times In the day, drives
them to the work of preparing and stor-
ing fuel in large quantities, not merely
for comfort but for actual existence dur
ing these months.
Now all these things and many more
in the same direction, of which these are
hints, are parts of the heavy tax which
the Frost King imposes upon the farmer
80 that he Ia sometimes moved to cry Out
for relief. He has more or less discon
tent with his lot, so far as affected BY
these conditions, talks of moving to &
more genial CLINE, where the FROST King
does not hold sway, and so does not al
ways brsvely meet the situation and max
the best of 1t.
The burdens are obvious and heav,
enough, we may inquire, what compen
sations are there for them; what is tn
other side Of the account? One of tn
first and most important IL the effect o
the frost upon the soil itself. That is il
general, to pulverizs 1t and bring it init
fit conditions for greater productiveness
This result depends upon some condi
tions which we may do well to recall tt
mind. The general law for all bodies
solid, liquid and gaseous is, that they
expand as they are heated and contract
as they are cooled. Water furnishes one
Of the few exceptions to this law and
from this exception some very important
consequences flow. A very simple ex,
pertinent will illustrate the matter. II q
large thermometer and Its stem be filled
with warm water, we can see the changes
In the mass of water as it cools. It will
slowly diminish in bulk until the temper
allure .of about 80 degrees Is reached,
then II further cooling follows, the bulk
Of water will increase slowly until 80 de-
grees Is reached when sudden expan-
sion takes place, IL actual freezing oc-
ours, 30 that 15 gallons becomes 16
POSSIBLY here we have the origin of the
famous law Of 16 to which our silve,
friends talk so much about). This ex
plains the breaking of pitchers and other
vessels In which water Is allowed &c
freeze. This. force of expanding water fl
practically irresistible. The stoutes
materials are ripped open by 1t, il there
Is no vent. In case the vessel is very
strong as In the case Of a cannon bal
with small vent, Ice will be crowded
out by the pressure in shape like stick.
Now the winters freezing of she water /,
the soil must have very great effect il
pulverizing the soil, breaking down tn.
tough clods, making the earth friable
and bringing about chemical changes
which greatly facilitate absorption OF foe
material by the plants. There is also q
considerable breaking up Of the mineral
parts Of the soil making their contents
available, though. they have beer
locked up hitherto In the rocks.
1t seems TO be demonstrated that cold
winter with large fall Of snow is mos
favorable for the production OF good
crops In the ensuing season. Indeed we
have only to 60 q little far ther back In
the process to find that our fertile soil and
soft mould was originally the product OF
frost work In the ages when glaciers
covered the land and by the combined
force Of frost and friction ground the
solid rocks into finer material, trans
ported 1t into the valleys, spread 1t out
I