Sand County Almanac
A Sand County Almanac
A Book Investigation
Section I: The Almanac 1) Which is the birth year of mercy for all things natural, wild, and free? Why does Leopold give it that name? * The year 1865 is the birth year of all things natural, wild, and free. Leopold gives it this name because in that year, John Muir offered to buy from his brother, who then owned a farm 30 miles East of Leopold’s oak, a sanctuary for wildflowers that had gladdened his youth. His brother declined but could not suppress the idea. (February, pg. 17) 2) According to Leopold, which has greater value – things hoped for… or things assured? * The disappointment that Leopold feels on the autumn mornings the covey-chorus are silent shows that things hoped for have a higher value than things assured. (September, pg. 57) 3) When and under what conditions does Leopold feel that to him boundaries disappear? How far does solitude extend? * At daybreak when Aldo Leopold is the sole owner of all that acres he can walk over and the expanses are unknown to deed or map but known to dawn, he feels boundaries, as well as the thought of being bounded, disappear. Solitude extends on every hand as far as the dew can reach. (July, pg. 44) 4) Who are the “Old soldiers of the prairie war”? * Bur oaks are the “Old soldiers of the prairie war”. (April, pg. 29) 5) Where were the missing grouse hiding during the snowstorm? Where had they been before arriving there? How could Leopold tell? * During the snowstorm, the missing grouse had hidden in a leafy top of an oak blown down last summer. Before arriving there, they had been on a growth of nightshade. Aldo Leopold could tell bu examining their drippings and also some tracks they had left. (December, pg. 85) 6) According to Leopold, what are the reasons for the decline in wild plant species? Where can remnants of the prairie plants still be found? * The shrinking/decline in the wild plant species (flora) is due to a
A Book Investigation
Section I: The Almanac 1) Which is the birth year of mercy for all things natural, wild, and free? Why does Leopold give it that name? * The year 1865 is the birth year of all things natural, wild, and free. Leopold gives it this name because in that year, John Muir offered to buy from his brother, who then owned a farm 30 miles East of Leopold’s oak, a sanctuary for wildflowers that had gladdened his youth. His brother declined but could not suppress the idea. (February, pg. 17) 2) According to Leopold, which has greater value – things hoped for… or things assured? * The disappointment that Leopold feels on the autumn mornings the covey-chorus are silent shows that things hoped for have a higher value than things assured. (September, pg. 57) 3) When and under what conditions does Leopold feel that to him boundaries disappear? How far does solitude extend? * At daybreak when Aldo Leopold is the sole owner of all that acres he can walk over and the expanses are unknown to deed or map but known to dawn, he feels boundaries, as well as the thought of being bounded, disappear. Solitude extends on every hand as far as the dew can reach. (July, pg. 44) 4) Who are the “Old soldiers of the prairie war”? * Bur oaks are the “Old soldiers of the prairie war”. (April, pg. 29) 5) Where were the missing grouse hiding during the snowstorm? Where had they been before arriving there? How could Leopold tell? * During the snowstorm, the missing grouse had hidden in a leafy top of an oak blown down last summer. Before arriving there, they had been on a growth of nightshade. Aldo Leopold could tell bu examining their drippings and also some tracks they had left. (December, pg. 85) 6) According to Leopold, what are the reasons for the decline in wild plant species? Where can remnants of the prairie plants still be found? * The shrinking/decline in the wild plant species (flora) is due to a