The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-03-24
COMING OF SPRING
Nature Begins Early to Prepare for
Her Awakening.

While Yet Snow Ii ON the Grouad
Birds Are Busy Seed-SOwlng-Ths
HybernatinE Animals - Mr.
CrOaker's Spring Song.
1t seems early for out of door garden
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
tions of grouse and pine grosbeaks and
redpolls.
II you walk across the swamps al this
season. and look down where the ice is
thin and clear, you will not seeSa lifeless
brown mass of decaying vegetation, but
2 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
TO be aware Of the preparations for
spring. Look at the treetops and note
that swelling buds give the branches a
rosy hue; notice that the willows are
turning golden yellow, and that many
OF the shrubs are taking on purple
tinge. In fact, amongst all the plants of
forest, field and swamp, there is whis-
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,
and after we have had a warm day or
two, we may get glimpse Of hoary
head poked 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 blacl,
bear, lean and hungry. will be leaving
her den before long, to seek food for
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 of 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
weather has really gone, they will be
caringfor 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
| to 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 1t Is he who makes the loud piping
they hear in the swamps. To be sure, OH
this point, all one has to do. is to go down
to the marsh when the frogs are peeping
and after wading into the water, stand
perfectly still. II the piping ceases
stand until it begin again, and then ad-
vance as before. At last you will see
upon some reed or close to the surface
! of the water perhaps In tangle of dead
i grass, small object which pulsates al
more or less regular intervals At each
pulsation you will hear a shrill peep,
and you will know that you have found
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 yellowisl
brown back, on which you may trace
cross Of darker shade. If you take hin
home and place him in glass vessel
with a little water for him TO stand In
you may at dusk see his white throa
swell out into glistening round bub
Bile as he tupes his pipe and sends fortl
his shrill peep, peep, peep" whicl
means as plainly as anything does
Spring, spring, spring"
ERNEST HAROLD EAYNEs.
Whichf
Lucille-Were you not embarrasse
when young DR.. Jones asked you 10
your hand?