THE Spring is the great period of renewal throughout Nature. Plants awaken to life and so do animals. The greatest energy is displayed in the growing plant. We go over a cemented garden path and find tender shoots breaking through the cement, splitting it. The urge of growth is seen not only in the vegetable world but also in the animal world. Animals who were sleepy and dull become lively and exuberant. They gambol about the fields, rejoicing in the young greenery and deriving strength from it.
In olden times, a regular course of spring medicines was given, based on tradition. Observant people everywhere had noticed that, during the long sunless winter months, the constitution runs down and needs renewal. Hence, “blood-clearing medicines” were administered by experienced mothers to their families and the children were urged to eat the young greenery, the younger the better. There was much wisdom in this proceeding.
Nature provides a different kind of milk in the mothers breast from week to week in accordance with the changing requirements of the baby. Similarly, Nature provides in plants, in greenery, all that is needed for the changing requirements of animals and human beings.
People will be wise in the Springtime to take a superabundance of spring greens instead of the stale, mature vegetables which are on sale everywhere. Instinct bids animals to eat this wonderful greenery. If a monkey in the Zoological Gardens is offered nuts or a piece of cake, he may throw them away in disdain, but offer him a little quantity of spring greens or a handful of spring onions, and there may be a bitter fight in the monkey cage because all the monkeys know that they can absorb concentrated life and health from the fresh young greenstuff.