The Birds of the Garden. 199 



growing in the soil ; others, aud by far the larger part, live on 

 organized vegetable matter, and yet others live on organized 

 animal matter. Decay is not a necessary condition for their 

 growth, for they can disorganize the organic matter and take it 

 up as they need it. Where they disorganize it faster than they 

 use it up, decay results ; it may be in the form of dry rot, or a 

 wet rot or putrifaction. Where dry rot takes place, other forms 

 of fungoid growth are developed ; but where the disorganization 

 is rapid and wet rot results, another form of organism accom- 

 panies it, as the bacteria or lower form of animal life. 



The fungi peculiar to the wheat plant does not disorganize the 

 vegetable tissues faster than it uses them, and the plant may 

 live on with slightly imposed vitality. If there is a rapid growth 

 of the fungi, the result is the exhaustion of nourishment needed 

 by the wheat, and it dies from starvation. 



J. C. Plumb regarded the subject of fungoid growth as a very 

 important one, and one that was but very little understood. We 

 have seen and felt the evil results, but know little in relation to 

 their different forms, habits of growth and conditions. We are 

 not only ignorant of the first principles of the science pertaining 

 to them, but we have not even learned the a. b. c. of their history, 

 and cannot talk about or investigate them understandingly. We 

 must come back, and begin with the rudiments and first principles 

 of the science in order to get any definite knowledge of the subject. 



THE BIRDS OF THE GARDEN. 



By Mrs. H. M. Lewis, Madison. 



41 Xnow ye not that he who hath had his life according to God's will, to 

 him the wild beasts and wild birds draw most near." — St. Guthlac. 



One evening not many months ago, I received a letter from the 

 worthy president of the horticultural society, asking me for a 

 paper for the coming meeting. I cast about for a subject, but 

 nothing that suited me came to mind. At last, I went into the 

 mystical dream land, and was transported over land and sea to 

 an island. On this wonderful island everything 'grew in great 



