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KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



prefer the former; and all our town readers will, 

 we are sure, testify to the cool intrepidity with 

 which this familiar bird will pounce upon a bit of 

 bread, or some other tempting morsel, which 

 happens to catch its eye upon the pavement ; and 

 with what triumph and exultation it bears it off 

 to its mate, seated on some window-sill or coping- 

 stone above, — or followed, perhaps, by three or four 

 disappointed companions, who were a moment too 

 late to seize the spoil. — The Rev. F. 0. Morris. 



The " Wardian Cases" for growing Plants. — 

 It has been often said that a love of nature is 

 implanted in the human breast, and that sparks 

 of it survive in the most artificial states of society. 

 It is this, no doubt, that places the mignonette- 

 box and the geranium -pot, in the window of the 

 mechanic or tradesman living in the heart of 

 London, and renders the addition of a bit of 

 ground, some twelve feet square, such an attractive 

 feature of our smaller suburban dwellings. It is 

 true that some well-worn hat or other article of 

 clothing must be annually transformed into gera- 

 niums, to replace the unfortunates of the preceding 

 summer. It is equally certain that the possession 

 of the garden aforesaid necessitates a visit to 

 Covent-garden every spring— for a plant must 

 needs be hardy to exist more than one year in 

 such a well : but it is all one ; the affection for 

 the bit of green is perennial, and survives repeat- 

 ed disappointments — year after year the same 

 hopes are entertained, that things will do better 

 than before — and after all, even if they don't 

 flower quite so well as at Kew, still it is very 

 pleasant to have a few plants of one's own to look 

 at. This love for plants runs through all classes 

 of society, but it is only the well-to-do that can 

 afford to gratify their tastes to the utmost. Green- 

 houses and conservatories, are luxuries attainable 

 by very few of those whose avocations compel 

 them to reside within the influence of our great 

 cities. These owe their best thanks to Mr. Ward, 

 for a discovery which enables everyone to have 

 much of the pleasure of a greenhouse at a very 

 trifling expense. The cases invented by Mr. 

 Ward are constructed with a new to the fulfil- 

 ment, as nearly as possible, of the natural condi- 

 tions most favorable to the growth of plants ; at 

 the same time excluding those noxious elements 

 with which the atmosphere of great manufactur- 

 ing cities is always so heavily charged. Mr. 

 Ward was led to the discovery of the principle of 

 his cases in the following manner : — He had fre- 

 quently endeavored, but without success, to grow 

 some of our British ferns in the yard at the back 

 of his house in Wellclose-square — certainly not 

 one of the ; most favorable spots for such a purpose, 

 even in London. The smoke and other impuri- 

 ties with which the air was loaded by the surround- 

 ing manufactories, soon destroyed the plants, and 

 Mr. Ward gave up his attempts at fern-cultiva- 

 tion in despair. Shortly after this, he placed the 

 chrysalis of a moth in some moist earth contained 

 in a bottle covered with a lid. A young fern and 

 a grass soon made their appearance on the sur- 

 face of the mould. These continued to flourish 

 for four years in their narrow house, and were 

 only destroyed at last by the destruction of the 

 lid of the bottle by rust, and the consequent too 

 free admission of rain water. Here then was the 



principle ! The lid of the bottle was sufficient to 

 keep in the moisture necessary for the vegetation 

 of the plants, and to keep out those noxious gases 

 which, in the open air, would have proved so fatal 

 to them. This led Mr. Ward to the construction 

 of the cases which bear his name. These may be 

 made use of for various purposes ; they enable us 

 to grow many rare and beautiful plants, in situa- 

 tions where they would perish immediately if ex- 

 posed to the air ; they form elegant ornaments in 

 the house or at the windows. They may be em- 

 ployed as substitutes for frames in striking cut- 

 tings, or in protecting tender plants during winter ; 

 they serve admirably for the transport of plants 

 on long voyages. To the botanist they are in- 

 valuable ; as, by their means, he may watch the 

 growth of many plants (such as ferns, &c.) which 

 it would be impossible to preserve alive in any 

 j other way. Form and size are of little conse- 

 j quence; in the author's own words, anything will 

 | do, "from a wide-mouthed quart bottle to a 

 j building as large as the Crystal Palace." — A 

 Correspondent of " The Field." 



Breeding Candries, TamingBirds, d'C. — Having 

 Mr. Editor, derived very great advantage from 

 the perusal of our Journal, in the pursuit of a 

 pleasant and interesting amusement — viz., the 

 breeding, rearing, and keeping of canaries, &c, 

 the idea has struck me, that possibly it might not 

 be uninteresting to many of your readers if you 

 were to publish the results of some experiments, 

 made for the purpose of testing the value of the 

 advice and suggestions of yourself and numerous 

 correspondents on this subject. I propose, during 

 the ensuing season, to keep an exact account of 

 all proceedings and details connected with the 

 management of my birds ; and with your kind 

 permission [pray do so, by all means] will forward 

 for publication in the pages of our Journal, 

 extracts from this diary — on points most likely to 

 prove interesting to the general body of your 

 readers, who, I presume, though perhaps not bird- 

 fanciers or keepers, are, like myself, admirers and 

 lovers of the feathered tribe, and of the most 

 common, if not the most interesting of our cage 

 birds — the canary in particular. I do not intend 

 to treat my birds in exact accordance with the 

 directions laid down in your various articles on 

 "Song Birds," and elsewhere throughout the 

 previous volumes of the Journal ; or to adopt all 

 the suggestions of your various correspondents. 

 I shall try a series of experiments, in order 

 to ascertain the best method of breeding 

 and rearing these beautiful birds. My experience 

 has only been short, yet have I paid considerable 

 attention to the subject ; and as I believe that 

 your object is the diffusion of truth and practical 

 information on this, as on all other matters, and 

 as the best means of realising this object is by 

 free and full discussion and inquiry — you will not 

 object to your opinions being put to the test of 

 experience [surely not]. Last year I was very 

 unfortunate ; and as it was late in the breeding 

 season when I made your acquaintance, 1 could 

 not derive the same amount of benefit that I 

 might have done, had I known of the existence 

 of our Journal earlier — as far as breeding canaries 

 is concerned. However, bv carefully attending 

 to the instructions you have given for their 



