Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-03-16
COMING OF SPRING
Nature Begins Early to Prepare ;or
Fer Awakening.
While Yet Snow Is on the Ground
Birds Are Busy Seed-SOwinE-The
Hybernating Animals Mr..
Crackers Spring Song.

IL ocSuS early lOT OuA vi uOOE SdTQeu-
ing, but nature is forever preparing for
the season to come. No human gardener
perhaps would be found sowing his seed
when the thermometer stood at Is below
zero, and when the snow lay three feet
deep upon the ground, yet under these
conditions nature is sowing myriads OF
seeds of the berry-bearing shrubs and
creepers. She employs, as her sewers,
the grouse, the pine grosbeaks, the red
polls and many other birds, which at
this season live chiefly on the pulp OF
the berries, and afterwards distribute
the undigested seeds through the forest,
thus securing perpetuation Of the
shrubs whose berries they eat, and pro-
viding winter food for future genera
tons of grouse and pine grosbeaks and
redpolls.
II you walk across the swarnps at this
season, and look down where the ice is
thin and clear, you will not see lifelesS
brown mass of decaying vegetation, but
living army of plants looking upward
hopefully at the light above them and
waiting perhaps impatiently, for For
ward! March," from nature, that they
may advance upon wavering winter.
Nor is it necessary to visit the swamps
70 be aware of the preparations for
spring. Look at the treetops and note
hat swelling buds give the branches
rosy hue; notice that the willows are
turning golden yellow and that many
Of the shrubs are taking on a purple
'tinge. In fact, amongst all the plants Of
CIV thOro w
per, not too loud, but quite audible, that
the spring is on the way.
Many of the animals, too, are aware
of the approach of winters end, and they
show it. The skunk, who, some six
weeks ago, retired to his burrow we'll
lined with fat, and who has snoozed
through the time of bitter weather and
deep snow, now comes out every night,
and we may find his footprints after
every light snowfall. The WOOdchucks
will soon be turning over in their sleep,
ard after we have had warm day or
two, we may get glimpse of a hoary
head pohed inquiringly from the mouth
of some sheltered burrow But the old
fellow will surely go back and take an
other nap, for the foraging will not be
quite to his liking until March at least
The chipmunks will be getting active,
too, for they never sleep so sound as the
wOodchucks do, and it will not be long
before we hear the startled chip" from
some venturesOme little hackhee, dart
ing back to his burrOw, as we pass by
through the woods And the big black
bear, lean and hungry, will be leaving
hn- do, he
herself and her cubs. and woe to the
lesser creature which crosses her path
for she is not a vegetarian at this sea,
son.
The gray squirrels, which have been
seen only off and on during the hard
er part of the winter, will soon be busy
every day, raking up the leaves for nuts
hidden long ago, or nibbling the tender
buds of the trees. And before the cold
caring for their little families in brown
leafy nests in the tops of the taller
trees.
AS yet we have had no sign from that
vigorous little herald of spring, the
peeping frog, but We know, as we look
down through the thin ice at the water
plants, that he is down there with them
and that even before them he will come
10 the surface and tune his shrill bag
pipe. How few, even among the coun-
try people, seem to know this tiny frog
or. after having seen him, will believe
that it is he who makes the loud pipins
they hear in the swamps. To he sure, OIL
this point, all one has to Go, is to go dowr
10 the marsh when the frogs are peepirg
and after wading into the water, stan(
perfectly SILL If the piping ceases
stand untilYt begin again, and then ad
vance as before. At last you will see
upon some reed or close to the surfact
Of the water perhaps in a tangle of GeaC
grass, a small object which pulsates a
more or less regular intervals At eacl
pulsation you will hear Shrill peep
and you will know that you have foun,
what you sought. Slowly and CAREFUL,
put out your hand, and with last sud
den movement put it over the littl
pepper. You will see that your captiv
Is about an inch long, with a yellowis
brown back, On which you may trace
cross of a darker shade. If you take hir
home and place him in glass vesse
with little water for him to stand IL
you may at dusk see his white throa
swell out into a glistening round but
BILE as he tupes his pipe and sends fort
his shrill peep. peep, peep" whic
means as plainly as anything doe!
Spring, spring, spring"
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.