Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-15
SNOW FLAKES, NATURE S
UNSOLvABLE PUZZLE
Come Only in Two Shapes; All
Known About Them is
They're Wonderful.

You know "a much about snow AZ any,
body else on earth-which is 10 say no
thing at all You know that il is white,
that il is either granular composed Of
little round grains-or haky II it is
flaky you know that each fake is O six
pointed crystal formation; at least you
ought to know it, for it is fact. But why
il Is white, why it is always ix-pointed
why il was made TO come in winter in
stead of sumrner-nobody knows that, ex-
cept that it is part of Natures way, and
therefore is the right way.
You can go to the library and get books
that have been written about the snow.
You can see magnihed pictures of IT. You
can read where the scientists tell you about
how il is formed in the Glouds-and all OF
that. And when you have read everything
that has been written about il, and have
seen all the pictures Of the various kinds OF
snow fakes, and have spent hours with
the scientists you know what everyone
koows and nothing more. You know that
il is wonderful arrangement OF Nature.
The snowfakes seem n form them
selves out of the moisture Of the clouds.
At first there is tiny formation, maybe
no bigger than The point OF pin blt Six
pointed. number of these tiny SIX
roi'If1 SUITS stith bpRftiiti stho
other six-ponted affair. and they Iab into
another Of their kind and become big
snow fake, and fall to the earth, and the
whole thing is six-pointed They are al
ways forming high in the heavens, and
starting toward the earth. But In the
summer the air of the earth is so warm they
melt and fall in rain drops; In the winter,
when the air at the level OF the earth is
cool they get all the way TO earth, and
instead of having rain, we have snow.
Snow forms in the clouds everywhere
in the world But in the tropics, where II rs
always warm at the surface, Of the earth,
they do not reach the ground But II there
is a mountain in the tropics, the top OF 1T
will be covered with snow, because away
tp there t is cool II would snow at the
Equator just AS il does in the Arctic
regions If it were not warmer at the surface
of the earth at the Equator than it is in
the Arctlcs
In this climate the snow seryes a use
full purpose III that it covers the vegeta
ton and protects it from the severe cold of
winter IL doesn't make any difference
how cold IT is, If the vegetation is covered
with snow.
So the most advantageous winters we
can have are those where the snow lies
upon the ground The snow forms a
blanket. and prevents the cold from de-
stroying the roots of the plants.
Now that winter Is upon us, and the
SHOWS are due, study the flakes; get out Of
doors and allow them to alight upon your
sleeve, Take nagnifying glass and look
at them They are beauties six pointed
beauties, no two alike, but all Of them six
pointed When the big fellows fall you do
not need glass; you can study them with
the naked eye.
And when the snow comes in drifts and
swirls about the face Of the earth, and
drifts into every nook and Granny, look at
it. Behold not an enemy, but a friend
See how Nature has woven a blanket for
her little children. Comprehend if you can,
the infinite patience that 30 devised It
that these little PARTICLES should iall
silently until they formed great sheet to
cover the regIon-a wavy, warpy gar
ment of purity to shut out the north
wind, the biting tongue that would lap up
the tender, growing plants Of the earth.
There is no more wonderful thing tnan
the snow-and no more kindiier thing; nor
anything more universal over the face OF
the earth Despise rot the snow, nor COM
plain about it; let it kiss your cheek in
affection II is all right.--Cieorge T.
Burba, in the Columbus Dispatch.