THE HORSE CHESTNUT 



559 



So far our contemplation has led us 

 to trace the liistory of a snowtiake from 

 its birth in the ocean to the time when 

 it descends to the earth. 



By tliis time the fall has ceased, the 

 clouds ha\'e dispersed, and the winter's 

 sun. catching the smooth, bright facets of 

 m^Tiads of crystals, reflects its glory in 

 countless sparkling spots of light. The 

 boughs of the trees are drooping to the 

 ground under their heavy load ; the 

 tender plants, snug beneath a blanket of 

 snow, are protected from the keen frost, 

 and all without is silent and beautiful. 

 The wind, finding a gap through the 

 hedge, and gathering strength as it 

 converges through the narrow opening. 

 has swept a clear course and drifted the 

 snow to the parts away from its direct 

 hne of movement, and even now the 

 powdery crystals are carried along, curling 

 in eddies, and heaping themselves up into 

 smooth ridge-topped masses. We note 

 when the current meets an obstacle like 

 a wall the material does not accumulate 

 against the obstruction, but forms a 

 ridge separated by a clear space, some 

 little distance from the obstacle. If we 

 watch the progress of the snow we shall 



see it moved up the slope of the drift, 

 and when it reaches the crest it is carried 

 forward hke a puff of smoke, only to be 

 driven back again by the current of the 

 eddy which circles round on the lee side. 

 It is clear that the snow wiU find a rest- 

 ing-place where the force of the current is 

 insufficient to carry it in suspension, and 

 such a place is found \\here the onward 

 current and backward eddy meet and 

 neutralise each other. 



We have seen that without heat snow 

 could not be formed. The sun spends its 

 energy in changing the water of the ocean 

 into a vapour. What becomes of this 

 energy ? It cannot be destroyed. Hence 

 immecUately after a fall of snow we feel 

 an appreciable rise in the temperature due 

 to the disengagement of the heat energy 

 stored up in the vapour. On the other 

 hand no air is so raw and piercing as a 

 thaw wind. It is gixing back to the snow 

 the heat necessary for its dissolution. 



We do not care to follow the story of 

 the snowfiake through the processes of 

 destruction to its final return to the bosom 

 of its mother ocean. It is never pleasant 

 to dwell on the decay and death of the 

 beautiful. 



J. LOM.\S. 



HOW TO KNOW THE TREES 

 GROWING IN BRITAIN 



With Notes, descriptive and photographic, for their Identification 

 in all Seasons of the Year 



By HENRY IRVING 



THE HORSE CHESTNUT 



THE LIME 



THE HORSE CHESTNUT 



IT is a pity we have not a more suit- 

 able name for this tree. It has dis- 

 tinctive character enough to merit 

 other than a borrowed title, and the 

 somewhat depreciatory epithet is wholly 

 undeserved. It ranks as one of the 

 noblest of our trees. Having a rather 



formal outline, it is seen at its best in 

 the massed group, or in the long line of 

 the wide avenue ; but it is welcome 

 anywhere, and anyhow, in our land- 

 scape — the embodiment of a strenuous 

 and noble life. It has also marked 

 decorative quality, varying according to 

 season, but never absent, and not merely 



