224 IN LOWER FLORIDA WILDS 



In Lower Florida a few of the tempa"ate and 

 warm temperate trees shed their leaves in the 

 fall, and in the late winter or early spring put on 

 new ones. The willows often leave out and bloom 

 in January and the mulberry dons its bright green 

 new garments a little later. The live oaks and 

 bay trees awake in February, casting oflE the old, 

 as they acquire the new leaves. The gumbo 

 limbo and poison tree may lose their leaves through 

 the winter, and if the weather is cold the dogwood 

 does also. However, most of the tropical trees 

 pay no heed to the increasing heat of spring; they 

 merely stand and soak in the sunshine and warmth 

 but make no attempt to grow. In Lower Florida 

 the rains usually begin the latter part of May or 

 early in Jime and at once the tropical forest 

 awakens to great activity. The leaves of most of 

 its trees suddenly become dingy and fall — they 

 seem to be pushed off by the rapidly growing new 

 ones. Soon the change of clothes is made and the 

 forest is splendid in its fresh mantle of rich young 

 foliage, of many shades of reddish brown or vivid 

 green. The floor of the hammock is thick with 

 dead leaves which rustle under foot as in a northern 

 November. On the ground autumn has taken 



