The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-24
THE COMING OF TIE SPKING.
warpa March Days which sunuss the
winter Landscape with vsrpai Ttrts.

Winter Landscape with Neruai Itrts.
Green was tho color Of St. Patrick's day. for
reasons natural as we'll as historic and politi-
CAL For the first time In many years. the
opening Of the third week Of March found New
Workers half inclined to drop their skepticism
touching the signs OF an early spring. and the
days since have helped to weaken the most
harden skeptic. II any one has found wood
blossoms yet. IL must be one OF those lucky
naturalists who tell stories Of hepaticas
before mid March. and spring beauties even
earlier. What common folks see nowadays
In the great parks and suburban woods
are broad areas clad In the russell oflast years
fallen leaves. but any observer WITH an eye for
things beneath the Surface can see In imagi-
nation the tssminE life OF pale greenery snugly
hidden below. Doubtless the lifeless russell
CARPET stores the sunshine that falls unbroksn
through leafless trees. and thus keeps the ten
der hidden green warm and growing when the
cold OF night comes on.
Along the edges OF tiny brooks and ponds.
where the russell carpet seems too narrow to
hide quite all the secrets OF early spring, thsra
Ia a line OF riotous life a vivid green strip.
made up OF q score or more OF grasses, flower
ing plants. trailing vines. and whatever
else takes on new color with tho approach OF
spring. You may count among these things
the vanished leaves OF the cowslip. fresh and
dainty enough. for a salad They grow down
even among the rocks In the bed Of tho stream.
whore watercresses have been green all win
ter long. The young violet leaves. shaped
like a mouse's ear. with curious whiris and
intricate curves. are broadening day by day
but their buds arc yet far down In some
undiscovered depth Of the roots. Last years
their rags. Just as Il they did not know that
the bralny close packed little new fronds were
looking like the young Of vasps as they peep
out from the como. The other plants that
the winter begin to pale beside the glories OF
the fresher life that comes with the tirst warm
st.d ss Winter Win ssarss ss9
rles like little drops Of blood looks dull beside
the spl.pdor q ireshensd moss, and its fruit
unshed withersd leaves OF the beech tree.
suddeniy t to have paisd into something ghast-
~. but the silver trunks OF the beech. with its
trick Of the silversmiths, l. as beautiful ever:
The forest tops show as yet no signs Of that
OF the mounting sap as IL carries new life to
the utmost twig., The naples. however. have
ssSS sss for day. the tax. ~
brighter green than their present sckly ysl:
hue 81
pendant and tenderly green. send forth cloud
Of pollen whenever the shrub IL shaken.
fns flavor. and the swestbirch Is more than
ever a delight upon the tongue. These three.
the sweetblrch. the sassafras, and the spice
wood. when cnnningly, mingled By the old
suburbans here and there. who retain the
trick Of home brewing. make the foundation OF
y delicious and cheering beverage. All tho
other spicy deniZens OF the forest are taking
on piquaney while nature IL preparing In her
secret recssses to distil the nectATs and odoIs
for blossoms yet unborn WatereTess. TOO, Is
making lis new crop growth. and industrious
nomadle Italians are making II erchandise Of
Il and the young dandellon.
All sorts OF dubious eXotics are pesping
above ground. and some have been In bloom
for days. Evsn pAnsies that have wintered In
the open air show here and there a tiny bud
that must have had Its earliest beginning
while yet the thermomsteT played about zero;
The double dafiodils, which broke ground
with the zelda yet buried bsnesth ten inches
OF the last great snow are showing plump
arrow heads. their golden petals yelled be-
meath their tough membranes that keep out
the cold.
There is cry OF long unhsard birds In hedge
and tree. and tho fE1gs have been chanting tor
a week or more. Gagged birds are showing
their pitiful reeurTent hunger for the ibsTty
they have never known while men bred in re-
gions where spring Is not an occasional aeei.
dent Of freaky year. hut an annual matter OF
course, EAnEuinely believe in the psrmAnsnee
at the eynicism OF the real New Yorker