Autumn in the Aviary. 187 



jiriiniiii^' ; there will he ,'ini])le o]ij)oi"tunity for li.Q'ht. sun and air 

 to perform their liealtliv work, .'ind the hirds will he more or less 

 always in the picture. 



(3) All creepers should l)e similarly treated to the 

 hushes, and each cut strictly hack to their respective spheres, 

 and wherever they ha\e rambled throut^h the top netting and lie 

 thereupon should he ruthlessly cut l)ack to aviary limits — during 

 the summer their rani])ant growth has l)een picturesque and 

 helpful, supplying both shade and cover, but during the late 

 autumn and winter it is not so; every obstruction to the admit- 

 tance of light, sun. and air must go, that these may have full 

 play to do their healthful renovating w^ork. 



(4) There now remains the ground level to be dealt with, 

 and here the work must be thorough. Firstly, all herbage and 

 grass must he cut off short and cleared away: then sprinkle the 

 surface well with salt, and fork over all spaces of earth kept 

 bare, and the conditions will then be perfectly wholesome and 

 sweet. It is really good i^-actice to dig all over the aviary and 

 to dig in the grass as well, except special clumps of coarse reedy 

 grasses, and if sufficient does not come up in the spring, then 

 lay down a few turves. 



(5) All leaves as they fall should be periodically gathered 

 up and not allowed to decompose in the aviary, or there will be 

 unhealthy foetid emanations therefrom. 



Now, I hope all is clear, even to the tyro, but I will repeat 

 that, as far as possible, when planting an aviary we put in as 

 large hushes as can be safely transplanted, and each season each 

 must he relentlessly cut back to the allocated space, and so 

 pruned as to promote healthy growth, in fact similar to our 

 treatment of trees and shrubs in garden or orchard. 



Personally, when planting an aviary, I always use 

 deciduous and evergreen trees and bushes in about equal pro- 

 portions. 



I am perfectly aware that, in writing the above, I have told 

 nothing new, but it is often the well known that is neglected, 

 and the above procedure is certainly necessary to the well being 

 of the occupants of our aviaries. 



