The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
IN THE GORGEOUS prNE BARREYs.
winters wonderful Coat or Many Colorr
spread Over Southern New Jersey.

NNlutorN VoWuertuN NOnt OF many AoL0EN
spread Over Southern New Jersey.
Tho pine barrens OF southern New Jersey.
which in the season Of blossoms arc q vcritablo
| garden OF wild flowers in many exquisite hues.
present in winter. too, a wonderful variety of
beautiful coloring. On n sunny day in January
If ono Is chosen when thcro Is little snow upon
the R~round-thcy who tread these sandy wood
lands find themselves in q world where SUM
mer's tints have been sobercd but ~: cen-
quorcd. Whom deciduous woods arc bare OF
foliage. one may find beneath tho leafy pines a
goodly company Of plants which have not only
sturdily refused to give up their leaves at wins
ter's rude clustering. but In this day of their ad-
versity havo taken on such q richness OF color
as many Of them never knew piping
times Of peace.
In tho white light of a January dawn sally
| forth down q frozen road of sand into tho pines.
Covered with thoir tufted green noodles, the
trees stretch away on ovory hand in long ave.
MUGS OF restfulncss. with bushy seedlings, like
little toddling children. clinging about their
feet. These arc principally pitch pines inus
alphabetically. the rigid pine. How well
named rigid ono secs ns no notices their action
before a high wind. Where the white pines
would bend gracefully and toss their branches
with an elastic motion, these rigid pines dog
gedly jerk backward and forward, their trunks
stiff as ramrods from top to bottom, and az
ETuCeleSb, oVcTy DThnCn tense ana uny1Glu1nRs
Tho r~esistless blast forces them aside as 10
rushcs along. but it cannot make them bow.
Athwart the sky. the sour gum spreads its
wild branches In black horizontal lines, bare Of
verdure save for the grayish.green lichens that
occasionally hang In long tresses from the bark.
1t Is an uncanny looking tree at this season-A
fit ~trysting place for witches. 1t has a ~restless,
startled air about 1t, the very opposite of the
peaceful, dignifod white cedar. which is the
/ ~ " n III rfron ~ tIn uA.,- . ..,..
green whose verdant limbs at this season are
strung with punches of tiny cones. once blue but
cheerful holly, amid whose Evergreen leaves
On the small oaks-biack Jack and scrub-tho
ieathery leaves still cling. but tanned by the
sun. heralded by a tieck or two OF rosy cloud,
iifts his great round face above the horizon. His
tops, and light up tho brown, oak leaves like
magic, ~nsmu their dead. color in q
crimson and orange red and olive green. Yet SO
absolutely are these eolors the sums work that
sun; backwar from the light a lis brown again.
eli 80 iiGhtly les the snow upon the ground that
before the eye. Amid the pine needles, scattered
every where IN tones of reddish brown, beds Of
iiehees. 'P too. III IN ST various sns shades ssditaw Of w rhfsee sn d
dull fayescent green. limo the pathside-some.
IN ma the Of sunshine nvais' w @l%osi Ia sulphur dp1 ars yellow ! L Covl rlSs
with white bloom as to gieam in the sand like
s sEsSs Of Ling LINGERING ring snow NOV are to-day 4 a Startling
leaves 2 deep crimson iii the elose.clus:
places the bear6erry's, PROSTATE stems.
in the sand. Their winter leaves are very beau.
tiful. those Of tho older growth shining in
with a fringe Of minute white hairs. In the
purple. glow duly, while here and there tiny
white buds give evidence that the plant is al
s EsSa{ tufts Rts of pnIe s aqe 1he sr 1as 5 aaI leaves Tt sp ma4r
the spots where the stately white racemes Of
Of the June that is gone. and cradle now the
blossoms Of the June that is to come.
beauty Of the pine lands in spring md summer
are interesting, MS well in winter. The twigs Of
red as sparks upon them. The bushes Of tho
dsg sa %sE.l are ~ a4eat sFsTs i Sss RsGiinis' fSe in s ssfss
s sss9E!iss ,sss s1si:s S !, 5Isss , Mi e Ps IL
branches Of the little plants are found to
t Ss ditRO GREEN w1th foliage 1ifss req has shoots @ pi HRHIs0n slo on.
and each young leaf is edged with a line OF rod.
and man in 1t these sss s eeia a lnSrel LOCKS ,Sxss sh se pGnsE iedssS.
its rosy green leaves all drooping dejectedly
upon n2 their e stalks As alert, as the sheep laurel'ss
tho leather leaf. silvery white on the under
side; and and Ont on the upper s a dark crimson 4, I1thickly
savannas where this plant delights to grow arc
q warm reddish brown, in color from its album
dant foliage. which glistens brightly in the
winter sunshine. Everywhere the trim little
1 penses /; R Ess .mai # w 'ssf eo s"f a RED Of to S's aY w sis,
will stoop and pluck its frozen fruit.
The swamps have a special loneliness Of their
the b%ayberry bushes with eoroncts Of bright
leayes as green as the ncighboring laurel's.
colored sphagnum mosses-white green, yellow.
red and delicate magentas. On the same spongy
cup lie; full to the brim. Here the slender
vines Of the wild dn cranberry d b are creeping &c Ing with
the sIshs' Of the witherod'ss blue berries:
still TiiiipS vivid of" OF co dloGopl AZ t Se s S1era s'e edge SrS
thiekets Of lensothG,' the gray BRANCHES ter.
and branchlets Of dull crimson strung with
crimson buds. The effect of these clustered
twigs seen at a distance against the dark backs
ground of the cedars is us a rosy vapor en-
wreathing tho swamp.
ging this way and that. and forming at times
impenetrable jnngles. are the dull green leaaess
s sfs @s0v e It. s1aok fell SsYrie. and from swings iRs tots g..
the swamp side tho mulberry bushes which
back under 5sIa tho pines Is. scare s;HTt {Ess.s,c reached ,ed, to c,o oPS's
with the smoothcst Of dark-almost black
green foliage; Close by the laurelleayed green.
length adorned with beautiful green leaves.
thick and %leathery, and. tipped upward on tho
vine in pairs. as are the wings of butterflies
resting; and the scarlet berries upon the bare
yinos OF the greenbrier's cousin. Similar WditerIy
light up the shadows with masses of ardent
color. All about in the open sand, basking in
the sun, creep the long vines of the running
swamp blackberry. adorned with leaves of rich
est crimson.
Thus varied and rich Is tho coloring in these
pine barrens in winter. TOT all the suns beams
give q glow OF life that brings the feeling Of tho
summer, for the moment, back again. Vainlv
tho west wind sends It's unremitting blast
against the encirclinR wall OF pino-we hear tho
sound. but the bright sunshine, the sparkling
beds of heaths, the swaying wild grasses, golden.
red as ripened grain. are eloquent OF tho harveah
fields of June.