346 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



became an orphan, its mother having suddenly- 

 died. In this dilemma, the lamb was placed in 

 a basket with the bereaved spaniel ; and never 

 were two quadrupeds, under similar circum- 

 stances, more happy than this pair. The spaniel 

 evinced the fondest affection for her charge, and 

 suckled it for a fortnight ; it was then transferred 

 to a more natural nurse of its own tribe. Yet, 

 Mr. Editor, is it quite true, that the spaniel will 

 single out of a flock of 200 that same lamb, of 

 which she is devotedly fond. — W. P. 



[Very many similar instances of affection be- 

 tween animals of an opposite nature, have from 

 time to time come under our notice. Rats, for 

 example, have been suckled by cats ; and an un- 

 dying affection has been established between the 

 nurse and her foster children ever afterwards. Let 

 us note here, that every mother of a family should 

 endeavor to suckle her own offspring; for chil- 

 dren invariably imbibe the nature of those from 

 whose substance they have been reared. How 

 very many instances of the truth of this, must we 

 all be able to bring to mind! We have fre- 

 quently encountered children, between whom 

 and their mother the holy feelings of Nature's 

 ties were unrecognised, unfelt. The mother 

 has, by a wise law, yearned over her child ; but 

 there has been no return. Let us hope we may 

 live long enough, to see some modification of the 

 present largely -prevailing evil.] 



Another Canary with bad Habits:— - 



" Dear Mr. Kidd ! " The goddess " Fame" 

 From shore to shore extols your name. 

 Your goodness, kindness, pity, grace, 

 Your love for all the feather' d race, 

 Your skill in ornithology, — 

 All plead as my apology. 



I have a pretty little " Pet," 



Scarcely a twelvemonth old, as" yet. 



Though he appears quite strong and hale, 



Still is he minus of a tail. 



His pretty wings too, and his pate, 



Are in a most distressing state. 



He picks himself from morn till night, 



And bleeds ! How shall I set this right ? 



So torn his wings; his coat so bare! 



I fear disease is lurking there; 



The seed and food I often vary — 



Do, Mr. Kidd, save my Canary! 



Plymouth, May 18. H. H. 



[Most assuredly we will ; else should we 

 deserve to be entombed alive. Our pen is 

 rampant to reply in poetry; but if it commenced, 

 it would never stop. Therefore, fair lady, let us di- 

 rect your attention to the fifteenth Number of our 

 Journal, p. 235. You will there find as des- 

 perate a case stated by Louisa, and we have the 

 authority of that young lady to make known 

 that we have worked a " perfect cure" by the 

 remedy proposed. May we be again equally 

 skilful ! ] 



A " Conscientious' 1 Fowl. — Dear Mr. Editor, 

 you love to laugh; so do I. When you read 

 what I now send you, copied from the 

 " Oxford Chronicle," you will not laugh, but 



scream. Never till now, did I know that poultry 

 were 'cute enough to discern Sunday from 

 any other day; but " t we live in a wonderful 

 age." But here is the extract : — " There are 

 two bantam hens in the possession of a lady 

 at Plumstead, which have each laid an egg 

 every morning for the last eighteen months, 

 except on Sunday, and never during the whole of 

 that period has an egg been found on that day in 

 either of their nests !" — The above is "smart," is 

 it not ? Would it not answer our joint purpose to 

 purchase a few " sittings of eggs," and traffic in 

 them ? Why, Exeter Hall alone would buy up 

 many thousands! Do think of this. — Arabella 

 F., Croydon. 



[Miss Arabella ! thou would st make a thrifty 

 partner. It is a capital idea of thine, thou 

 funniest of fair wags! We will first deliberate, 

 then communicate. " Mother goose and her 

 golden egg," may have taught us a practical 

 lesson which we can improve upon. JYous 

 verrons.~\ 



Flower Gardens on a small Scale. — I am quite a 

 novice; but having a small piece of ground 

 (about twelve feet square), I wish to put it in 

 some little shape, and to see something "pretty" 

 growing in it, Will you give me a word of 

 advice ? — Nannette. 



[There can be very little difficulty in the 

 matter, Mademoiselle. A small outlay will ac- 

 complish much. With ten feet square of ground 

 you can make a garden; and, if it will not 

 grow all you want, it will at least grow some- 

 thing to look better than the bare ground. Some 

 annuals will grow anywhere, and give a season 

 of bloom, so that the earth be well dug and fed 

 with a little old manure. Sweet pea^, migno- 

 nette, French marigolds, Virginia stocks, nas- 

 turtiums, both the orange and the deep crimson ; 

 dwarf larkspurs, candy tuft, convolvulus minor, 

 and some others. Scarlet runners will climb 

 up a fence or wall, and look gay all the summer. 

 In fact, nothing is easier than to make a garden. 

 If it be pretty open and airy, ten- week-stocks 

 will grow, and China asters ; but never trust to 

 removing wallflowers, sweet williams, Canter- 

 bury bells, and other biennials and perennials 

 in spring. They are marketed for sale it is true, 

 but they cannot do well. They should all be 

 purchased and planted in the autumn. We are 

 too apt to buy plants in spring to decorate the 

 garden, but they rarely turn out good flowers, 

 or answer the purpose required.] 



Poultry and Poultry -houses. — Will you be so 

 kind, Mr. Editor, as to tell us who live in the 

 country, as much as you know about poultry? 

 We have, some of us, but small territories; and 

 we want to be told how to make the best of 

 them. If you keep this in view, from week to 

 week, you will find the subject universally 

 popular; and it will introduce your Journal 

 into families where perhaps, otherwise, it might 

 not be found. This is a kind hint from one of 

 your unknown friends. / particularly wish to 

 know the size of your poultry-houses. — Sarah E. 



[The wish on your part, kind Lady Sarah, is 

 equivalent to compliance on our part. You evi- 

 dently know our " weak point." The largest of 



