For April, 1921 



547 



A temperature of 25 to 50 degrees at night should be 

 maintained during the Winter months with about 10 de- 

 grees raise in sunny weather during the day. If a longer 

 season of flowering is desired, part of the plants may be 

 moved to much lower temperature, merely keeping out 

 frost. By so doing. Camellias may be had in flower from 

 October until June. A light shading should be put over 

 the glass early in March to prevent the leaves from being 

 scorched. 



When the flowers are used for cutting, one should exer- 

 cise due care that too much of the wood is not cut away, 

 to procure long stems. It is more advisable to use them 

 with a leaf or two attached, in a floating dish. If the 

 Camellias are cut with long stems, the plants will very 

 soon be ruined. They look best as pot-plants, and if one 



is careful in growing them, convenient size plants, cov- 

 ered with flowers, may be had in from eight to ten-inch 

 pots. Plenty of space must be allowed between each 

 plant while growing. 



Insects, such as mealy bug, scale, and thrips are liable 

 to attack them, but these may be kept in check by using 

 hydrocyanic acid gas. and a liberal syringing when they 

 are out of flower. 



\ arieties of {."amellias, like a great many other plants. 

 are becoming too numerous to mention. As they seed 

 freely, in mild climates, many new ones are always being 

 raised. With some of the varieties, the flowers are so 

 double that they drop ofl:' the plants without ever opening 

 fully. For pot-plants. I prefer singles and semi-double 

 varieties. 



April Birds 



PAUL B. RlIS 



H'- )W good it seems to be alive, again to enjoy the 

 balmy air of Spring sunshine, to hear the happy 

 warble of the bluebird, the carol of the robin, 

 the frantic call of the killdear, the honking of the geese 

 and the jubilant outpouring of the song sparrow. But 

 how much better it seems to be alive and able to appre- 

 ciate Nature's every mood, to visit with her in the fields, 

 meadows and woodlands and meet old friends and 

 acquaintances. 



How nicely science has aided us in fixing individuality 

 onto every stone, weed, flower, shrub, tree, butterfly or 

 bird. And how we enjoy the privilege to thrust aside, 

 cold and scientific interest for knowledge less intense, 

 knowledge which finds response in our appreciation. How 

 barren and hopeless this thicket must look to the unini- 

 tiated and how quickly we may awaken his interest by 

 bringing to his notice the many wonders of Nature, con- 

 tained therein, the many friends, rewarding our search 

 with surprises that warm our hearts and quicken our 

 pulses. How indelibly many outings into such places are 

 written irito our memories not on account of our com- 

 panions or the incident of travel but because of the en- 

 riched knowledge, the pleasurable introduction to new 

 wonders and the raptures of discovery of more secrets. 

 The gradual unfolding of bud and leaf radiant with 

 the rosy tints of life, the first bloom of the Hcpatica co- 

 incident with the arrival of the hermit thrush are such 

 indications of the progress of migration. The advancing 

 season hastens the growth of vegetation and with its hosts 

 of insects, offering a field of activity to the insectivorous 

 birds. The robins and bluebirds are closely followed by 

 aquatic birds and birds of prey and again by the various 

 sparrows, then the waders, flycatchers and swallows and a 

 few of the hardier warblers. The increasing varieties of 

 food, increase the varieties of arrivals, each coming in 

 its turn as its peculiar food is forthcoming. The fly- 

 catchers and swallows are feasting on winged insects. 

 long before the warblers are able to get a sustenance from 

 the soft bodied insects and scales coincident witli the 

 growth of tender shoots. Others, living largely on in- 

 sects adjust their appetites to a partial seed diet, notal)l\ 

 the roliin anrl bluebird. Nesting begins qiu'tc early in the 

 month, especially with the two-brooded birds, but the un- 

 certainty of temperature takes heavy toll among the young 

 fledglings. Among eighty-three nests built we noted 

 thirty-five failures or forty-two per cent. Of these twe]\c 

 per cent were directlv traceable to the effects of chilling 

 winds and rains. Ouite undaunted the birds usuallv 



plunge into a second and third venture of parenthood. 

 Millet and sunflower seed scattered among the shrub 

 border or under evergreens will attract many a migrant 

 to prolong a pleasant visit. Water in the bird bath now 

 becomes a necessity and the scattering of short strings 

 will prove a great aid to the robin in building. Pans 

 filled with mud in dry seasons are eagerly visited by the 

 same bird, its bulky nest without its cement suft'ering 

 greatly in heavy downpours. Of the many birds to be 

 expected during the month we append a list from our 

 diary. Dates of arrival may vary two weeks either way, 

 depending on the season, but the observations are a fair 

 representation of the migration during the month : 



April 1. — Mourning Dove, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 

 Cowbird, liroad-winged Hawk. 



April 3. — Purple Martin, Bluebird (building nest), 

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 



April 4. — Buffle-head Duck, Golden-eyed Duck. \\'hite- 

 throated Sparrow, Coot. Robin (building nest). 



April 6. — Tree Swallow. 



April 8. — Chipping Sparrow. 



April 9. — Grasshopper Sparrow, Lark Sparrow. 



April 10. — Bronzed Graokle (building nest). 



April 11.' — Bank Swallow, Swamp Sparrow. 



April 12. — Gray-cheeked Thrush, Bittern. Horned 

 Grebe. 



April 15. — Clav-colored Sparrow, Sharp-shinned 

 Hawk. 



April 17. — Brown Thrasher. 



April 22.— ClifT Swallow. Myrtle W'arbler, Prairie 

 Warbler, Water Thrush, Willow Thrush, W'hite-crowned 

 Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Winter Wren (singing). 



April 27. — Greater Yellow-legs, Spotted Sandpiper, 

 Baldpate Duck, Red-breasted Mergan.ser. 



April 28. — Black Tern, Solitary Sandpiper, King Rail, 

 Canvas-back Duck. 



April 29.— Veery. 



WJiat IJiougJi vou have found no treasure, nor has any 

 friend left you a rich legacy! Diligence is the mother of 

 good luck, and God gives all things to industry. Then — 

 Plough deep while sluggards sleep, 

 .■\nd vou shall have com to sell and to keep. 

 Work while it is called to-day. . . One to-day is 

 worth two to-morrows, as Poor Richard savs. — Frank- 

 lin. 



