Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-23

AS the sun shone upon the dry
banks OF soil, clay, and gravel, the cs-
pansive force due TO heating caused
numerous particles to roll down as
we passed-a process that toes on all
day long. all night, aud from season
to season. As the land alternately
heats and cools, the unequal expans-
ion and contraction among the par.
ticles. clods. ana the banks. causes
them first ia shift uneasily among
themselves ana finally 10 break of In
pieces and roll down the hillside. The
amour Of this expansive force is very
great, and It's results, when carefully
observed are often truly astonishing.
Not only IL the clay bank or tho gravel
tho sunshine, but the solid rock Is
opened. sometimes with explosive
force. by the unequal heating and
cooling of different parts Of the rocky
mass at different times IN the day
This Ia especially r In dry and hot
summer like our own.
WORK OF THE WIND.
AS the keen wind swept along the
mountain side. it's sound was accom-
panied by others, due to the shifting
OF leaves and debris, and tho continued
rolling down ot the earth particles loos-
ened by frost aud sunshine. And VIC
can imagine thc vast work In soil
making done by the moving sir masses
when we recall how she dust-storms
carry the nnciy ground particles from
the hot plains in sumtner and scatter
them everywhere as thin films Of fer
tilizing material; OF when we read OF
the sand storms Of the desert. and how
the winds. when they blow In one d.
rection more than another. gradually
bury forests, villages. towns, ohllterate
the ruins Of ancient cities, and Ill
ponds, lakes and shallow bays, change
the course OF rivers and cover the bed
Of the ocean Itself With n fne powder
that is one Of tho o curious discov-
cries Of deep sea soundIngs.
WORK OF THE ROOTS.
At the Hermitage. where the river
had cut far into the land, masses OF
tangled roots are to be seen. forming
a network that had so bound the earth
together that the cutting of the river
the roots generally do-they bind the
earth together and prevent the rain
and the flood from washing away the
soil. But they do more than this. As
the trees stand on the mountain sides,
their roots grow into creVices OF the
cliff and split the rocks open with
the force OF growing tissue--a force
llat Is GTcdl enough 10 Ie0u CllUs OF
open the foundations OF heavy build
inss. Moreover. the roots OF plants
are slightly acid, and so dissolve crew
Ices into the rock. Then they insinu-
ate themselves or make openings for
the water 10 dissolve the substance,
which In turn splits the rock by frees-
ing within the ~crevices so formed. But
every time a tree sways in the wind
1t move the soil at its base, which then
moves n little nearer to the river, since
In shifting II must move downward
SO every gopher that digs, every SPUR
rel or rabbit that burrows into the
mountain side. shifts the soil 1t re-
moves and brings It a few steps nearer
to the river. And so, on every hand
che tread or the burrowing industry o.
animals, the growth of roots. the work
OF the winds, the effects of heat anc
cold, all contribute, In h canyons, tC
the same result OF shifting onward thu
substance OF the soil to its destination
IN the valleys
THE LEAVES MAKE HUMUs.
Along the river, the boughs ans