The action of this canal and the rift it seemingly makes in the polar cap corresponds to the observations made by Dr. Lowell and the inferences that he draws from them. He says:
If there were strips of vegetation in the midst of the desert that underlies the polar cap, such vegetation would make its presence known by appearing as rifts in the snow-field. Such would be the case for the following reason. The life of plants has this in common with the life of animals, that their vital processes both generate heat. The fact was not recognized as true of plants until long after it was well known of animals. Indeed, the discovery that plants give out heat in growing is of comparatively recent detection.
Now the calorific action of vegetation on snow is very often observed on earth and we have seemingly had evidence of the same character upon Mars. If this be so, the two suspected materials—snow and vegetation—on the planet, vouch for each other. The
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POLAR RIFTS ON MARS
May 27, 1920.
March 4, 1916. March 9, 1916. February 15, 1918. May 24, 1920.
July 8, 1920. August 2, 1920. August 3, 1920.
May 11, 1920. May 12, 1920.
