The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-12
SPRING IS COMING In EARLY.
ALL THE SIGNS IN THE WOODS
POINT THAT WAY.

We GOt-The queer Notion Thet HeNe
OF warmth beginning Underground.
LAcHNE, Canada, Feb. ii.-Candlemas
Day, tho I'd Of February, is usually con-
sidered TO be mdwinter day in this Province
Of Quebec. They say that II the weather
Ia bright then the heaviest part OF the
winter has still 10 be looked forward to-
II it is overcast and stormy, as it was this
year then the worst OF the cold weather
has gone.
Hunters and trappers are also accus-
toned at this season 70 forecast the coming
Of spring. The logic OF their reasoning
Is not always easily followed, but they
argue shrewdly enough from such signs as
their woodland experiences have shown to
be reliable.
The swelling Of the buds on some OF the
hardwood or deciduous leaved trees, the
tightness OF the bark 10 the wood the
loosening OF the needles Of the pine, the
beginning of the springing OF sap In the
birch, the brightness OF the wild sarsapa-
rilla roots-all these standard signs are
derived from an ancient belief that spring
begins underground.
According to this idea, the warmth or
the interior OF the earth In obedience to
some great law, advances toward the sur
face from winter to summer and recedes
in similar manner toward winter. Behev-
ers in the notion usually refor to the pun
Of the moon upon the water OF the eartn,
as seen in the tides, to illustrate the in
huence exercised by the sun upon the
latent heat OF the earth.
The roots and sap Of trees are therefore
more to be relied on as giving an mixing
of the real advance of the seasons than
are things directly influenced by preva-
lent winds and frosts. Springs Of water
are supposed to be especially susceptible
to the action of the approaching heat.
and when chopping water holes or fishing
places in the lakes from this time OF year
on the woodsman has a keen eye for signs
Of wear and incipient honeycombing on
| the under side from the warmth Of the
| water.
| Red squirrels are OF assistance to tho
seers who adopt the internal heat theory
| When one OF these restless little creatures
is seen lying fiat along slender branch
with his nose close to the bark the OBJ
server judges that it's sharp teeth have
made a cut into the sapwood of tho tree.
and that it il sucking out the slightly sweet
sap which has sprung up from the roofs
1t Is not improbable that the aborigines
learned that tho maple sap contained sugar
from this rodent habit.
The same sharp eyed foresters may be
trusted also to detect tho symptoms OF
the swelling OF the terminal buds before
any one else, and the fragments scattered
by them on the snow, as they seek out the
| embryonic vegetable life just developing.
are joyfnlly noted by the men who are
anxious TO see the last of the winter.
Birch cartridges are also very clever
,t,rra Of haa
ing OF the twigs One of the first OF the
reliable signals OF the approach of the
warm season is the big bird swinging up
aloft, plucking the buds of tho white birch
tree. ,
The trapper can usually give one good
idea OF the probable length Of the winter.
| taking his information from the hair upon
his pelts. II the inside OF the skin Is pimply
and rough to the touch, showing that tne
roots of the hairs are almost protrudinR
through the hide warm weather IL near
and he will soon have to take up his traps
The presence OF the beavers and muskrats
upon the mounds OF their houses, or play
ing about near by in the day time, is IN
dicative also of an early spring
But all woodsmen put most confidence IN
the saw whet" as the harbinger OF change
of season. To the majority i consists OF
sound, and nothing more. Heard in the
evening it is doleful reiterated combina-
ton of two unmelodious notes. One note
corresponds to the upward thrust. the other
10 the downward pull of big file across
a tooth of a crosscut saw. The saw whel-
ting goes on for hours at time, with mad
denng persistency.
Many old hunters persist in believing that
il IL the song Of some particular mare
Others think it the ticking of some gigantic
beetle Very few are TO be met with VINO
ever saw the sound produced, so il Is per-
haps not 70 be wondered at that supersu-
ton has laid hold upon it and declared 10
10 bring bad luck upon any one rash enough
to attempt 10 probe the mystery.
The fact is that 1t is tiny owl, pretty
little thing not az big as man INST, ina!
thus let's il be known TO all within reach OF
his unmelodious voice that winter Is pass
inE and the warm weather near.
There is a widespread belief that spring
keeps company with Eastertde that when
Easter il late we shall have a lcte breaking
up of the winter. This accounts, II IS most
likely, for the prophecies nready had oil u
late spring this year. Easter Sunday comes
very nearly at as late date as possible
that is on April %.
But the prophets have failed 10 notice
that the Easter moon. upon which, OF course
the question of the weather is likely 70 turn
comes early this year There 10 fun moon
on March 81 The rule is that Easter IS the
Sunday next after the full moon falling
on or after March q. Astronomically'
however the moon will be full few hours
before March 81 comes in. which throws
the celebration a month later. This Is the
regular third Easter moon OF the year
which sometimes falls two or three weeks
later. SO that no one need anticipate late
spring on that account this year
On the contrary the men OF the North
Woods who have an intense interest in the
matter. declare that we shall have (unless
ali signs fai) a stormy February, and an
early brea k-up in March. But an carly
spring does not necessarily mean an enjoy
able spring. It ought TO be noticed.
II will be remembered perhaps, that the
predictions of the woodsmen last fall re-
harding the present winter, as reported in
THE SUNDAY Sun last November. were full
saws that we have only little more than a
month OF cold weather to look forward TO.
and then-spring.