Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-02-24
Agricultural.


AAp AAFNNNsNA W
The long winter of our northern latitude
has many compensations, and not the least
among them all is the return of spring
When we near the close of February, though
snow and ice remain and a few days of arctic
cold may still occur, we feel the springtime
warmth of the MONDAY sun and we know
that the reign of winter approaches its end.
With each returning day the sun courses
higher in the heavens and we begin to feel
secure from any recurrence of winters severe
cold. If storms and drifting SHOWS still &C.
cur, we know that they will soon be followed
by the warm sunshine, and that they are no
longer to be feared as in mid-winter.
With the increasing warmth of the return
ing sun, those delightful harbingers offspring
time the birds of passage, will soon appear.
A farmer may have little time TO watch birds,
but there are many who regret their depar-
ture in the fall and note with delight their
temperance in the early spring. We may
expect to see the ground sparrow, which is
usually the first to return, on any warm day
hereafter. We mean the native sparrow
the English sparrow winters in our climate
and, unlike other birds, confines itself most
ly to the cities and large villages, in which it
is now found in large numbers. In some Of
these places we should look in vain for the
return of the native ground sparrow, the
jealousy of the two species not permitting
them to live together, and the English spar
row, being the stronger and the most aggres-
sive, has driven away the native birds. Large
hocks of the descendants of these imported
sparrows may be seen in Brattleboro, though
we have never noticed them far out of the
village, and they are not seen in many other
towns in this part of the state so our read
ers may expect in a few days the return of
the native sparrow-a bird which has, besides
other better qualities than its English cousin,
the merit of being an old-time friend. A
little later we shall hear the sharp voice of
greeting from the red breasted robin, followed
by his glad spring song at early morning,
and by his long continued notes at sunset
when the warm days dispose him to sing.
We may hear again the song of the bluebird
at any time when few warm, pleasant days
succeed each other. Bluebrds and robins
usually arrive about the same time; both are
frequently first seen on the same day, though
if either is in advance it is generally the blue
birds. Neither of them are often seen here
sometimes make their appearance during un-
usually warm weather such as occurred near
the middle of this month.
With the approach of spring not only the
birds of passage, but all others, with animals
and vegetation, awake to new life The eli
mate of countries lying in more southern lati-
tudes is frequently contrasted unfavorably
with our own, but we think the question
whether Florida or Vermont has the better
climate, not SO one-sided as to preclude dis
cussion. In countries having no winter or
long season of dormant vegetation, there can
be no such freshness and vigor as comes
here with each returning spring, to both an
imal and vegetable life. The climate of
Florida would change the nutritious grasses
of Vermont into coarse heritage of inferior
quality. Our hillsides would fail to furnish
pasturage for the hocks and herds that now
subsist on them; nor with our meadows
would they yield enough to support them
through the year. The sweet, fresh grasses,
which are the basis of the dairy products of
the world, thrive only in northern countries
and may almost be said to be the production
of snow and ice. Even here these grasses
are in their greatest perfection only when
they feel the effect of the re-invigorating in
huence of spring.
If we had the climate of Florida in Yer
mont, our noble groves of maple, covering
the slopes and browning the submits of
thousand Vermont hills, would yield no nee
tar, for the genial warmth of spring. follow
ing the hard frosts of winter, impsrts to the
white, transparent blood of the maple its deli
cious sweet constituent and causes it to flow
We have had hint in the spring-like days
which have already appeared, that the sweet
harvest of the naples is near at hand. We
have even had taste of the new golden syr-
up mot glucose fresh from the naples.
Spring birds and new maple sugar will soon
delight thousands of boys and girls who are
so fortunate as to live in Vermont, the great
est maple-sugar- making state in the world