72 CANARIES 



the egg food that comes from the tins in the breeding 

 cages, providing the same is fresh and clean, but if it 

 is at all stale or dirty throw it away. But when fresh egg 

 food is given the breeding stock, three or four times a 

 day, any that is in the pans at feeding time may with 

 safety be given to the youngsters that are being weaned. 

 The soaked seeds should be continued after the birds 

 are weaned right on through the moulting season. It 

 helps the development of the young birds wonderfully 

 and its effect on their health and strength is far superior 

 to that effected by the giving of crushed hemp. The giving 

 of crushed hemp seed, which has such vogue amongst 

 fanciers of to-day, is most harmful. Thousands of birds 

 die every year from inflammation of the liver and bowels 

 brought on by the use of crushed hemp. Soaked hemp 

 in conjunction with the other seeds is far to be preferred. 

 The soaking draws from the hemp its objectionable and 

 deleterious qualities. In India the natives make in- 

 fusions of hemp which have even worse effects on the 

 bodies of those who drink it than the drinking of too 

 much alcohol has on that of the Britisher. 



