lO THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



HOW TO KEEP A PARROT. 



To keep Polly in good health the diet ques- 

 tion must be most carefully studied, and we 

 preface our suggestions by stating that the 

 diet we propose naming, as being suitable for 

 them, has been tried, and is as near as possible 

 similar to what they have fed themselves upon 

 in their natural state. There may be many of 

 our readers who have given their Parrots other 

 food than what we mention, but we maintain 

 that the following bill of fare is the only suita- 

 ble one to keep them in good health, and en- 

 able them to enjoy a happy old age. 



Parrots in their wild state live upon ripe 

 fruit, and tame ones also enjoy it. Sour or 

 unripe fruit is very injurious to them. Seeds 

 they also live upon when in their native land, 

 and so destructive are they to the crops, that 

 boys mounted on ponies are occupied in driv- 

 ing off the Grey Parrots, which, we under- 

 stand, fly in flocks of 10,000 at a time; and 

 from our own observations of what one bird 

 can do in ths way of destruction, (as an apple 

 is soon entirely picked to pieces and thrown 

 piecemeal away, the seeds only being eaten), 

 we can easily calculate what 10,000 birds can 

 do in a short space of time. A whole orchard 

 must become ruined in less than two hours if 

 the birds are allowed to remain in it. 



A tin of Hemp seed or crushed Indian Corn 

 should be their daily diet. Alternate it by 

 giving cold boiled rice, with a separate allow- 

 ance of well-soaked bread, with the water fairly 

 squeezed out; bread is soaked thoroughly 

 when boiling water is poured upon it. Never 

 feed your bird with hot food ; their beaks are 

 very sensitive. By no means give your Par- 

 rot any animal food, not even a bone to bite, 

 as some people say, for amusement. Animal 

 food renders the bird savage, ill and unhappy. 

 It causes the bird to pluck out its feathers. 

 What for ? Why, to chew the quill to pro- 

 cure a taste of the animal food when his mas- 

 ter or mistress is not inclined to give it any. 

 The bird is taught to become a cannibal, and 

 he becomes a veritable lover of flesh, which 

 he is not particular in seizing hold of, whether 

 it be upon the thumb or finger bone. The 

 practice of giving the birds bones to bite is 

 not at all a good one ; it teaches them to de- 

 stroy their perches, or tear anything they can 

 lay hold of. The Parrot requires no more 

 amusement than to be taken notice of, spoken 

 to, sang to, whistled to, and caressed by those 

 whom he has a preference for ; no one else 

 should be allowed to touch him. A teaspoon- 

 ful of water once a day he will enjoy, but no 

 trough of water must be placed in his cage. 

 Never give your Parrot the least particle of 

 butter, fat, milk, or greasy food of any de- 

 scription. 



When you see your Parrot continually 

 pluming itself, you may be sure it is in good 

 health. Parrots seem to possess a little of our 

 vanity, for they love admiration, while ill 

 health renders them, as it renders us, careless 

 of it. Keep your bird out of draught. Cover 

 it over at night time, then repeat several times 

 any sentence you wish it to say. Very often 

 they learn it after two or three night's prac- 

 tice. Its attention is not attracted by any- 

 thing, save the sound of your voice, when it 

 is covered over. — Gardening Illustrated. 



BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED. 



Report of the June, meeting of the Portage County, 

 (Ohio,) Horticultural Society. —Mr. Matthew Craw- 

 ford read a carefully prepared paper on Straw- 

 berry culture. 



"The Farmers' Question" being a reply to the 

 Cobden Club Tract, entitled"Tbe Western Farmer 

 of America," by Jonathan B. Wise, Cambridge, 

 Mass. A powerful argument for a protective 

 tariff. 



The American Newspaper Directory.— By Geo. 

 P. Rowell & Co., New York. Contains an im- 

 mense amount of useful information, not only 

 about every newspaper published in the United 

 States, but also about every place where a news- 

 paper is published. 



Third Annual Report of the North Carolina Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station.— This volume con- 

 tains, in addition to detailed reports of analyses 

 and statistics, a most valuable and carefully pre- 

 pared essay on " Seed Examinations," and '"The 

 Quality of American Seeds," by Dr. A. R. Le- 

 doux, the director of the station. 



History of " Jersey Farm Dairy," SanBruno, Cal- 

 ifornia.- Mr. R. G. Sneath, the proprietor, relates 

 in this little pamphlet the history and mode of 

 management of his herd of 1,000 head, on his 

 2,700 acre farm, near San Francisco. The milk is 

 delivered direct to the consumers at 10 cents per 

 single quart, and for less by larger quantities. 



Prospectus of Barnum's Museum Company.— T\w 

 proprietors of this enterprise intend to erect, on 

 the site of Gilmore's Garden, where the exhibi- 

 tions of the NewYork Horticultural Society were 

 held for many years, an immense building for 

 the entertainment and instruction of the masses. 

 The top floor will be laid out into a vast tropical 

 garden, open in summer and covered with a glass 

 roof during winter. 



Hie Western Farmer of America, by Augustus 

 Mogredien, published by the Cobden Club, a 

 pamphlet of thirty pages, in which the author 

 endeavors to prove that if the import duties on 

 English goods were abolished, and our factories, 

 mines, and foundries closed, whereby millions of 

 industrious laborers would be thrown out of em- 

 ployment, the condition of our farmers would 

 become much improved. 



Henderson's Hand-Book of Plants.— Expected to 

 be ready by February 1st. This work is intended 

 to fill the much felt want of a Dictionary of 

 Plants, both useful and ornamental. From the 

 prospectus before us, and from the thorough 

 and practical knowledge of the author, Mr. Peter 

 Henderson, on all subjects pertaining to horti- 

 culture, a most valuable addition to the horticul- 

 tural literature, may be expected. The volume 

 will be mailed from this office for $3.00. 



Quarterly Repiwt of the Kansas State Board of 

 Agriculture. - A pamphlet of 156 pages, containing 

 exhaustive statistics relative to the agricultural 

 and horticultural resources of the State. The 

 work here accomplished by the State Board of 

 Agriculture, tor the farmers of the State, and 

 those who contemplate making Kansas their 

 home, will be worth many times its cost to the 

 State. The volume may be procured by inclos- 

 ing the postage (five cents) to the Secretary of 

 the Board, J. K. Hudson, Topeka, Kansas. 



Farm Homes, ln-Doors and Out-Doors, by E. 

 H. Leland. Published by the Orange Judd 

 Company. Like "good wine needs no label," so 

 this little volume has and needs no preface. The 

 author starts right on with his subject and treats 

 in a practical, and at the same time attractive 

 manner, nearly all topics connected with rural 

 life; Buildings, Furniture, the Dairy, the Gar- 

 den and Cooking,— and many excellent direc- 

 tions are given under this heading according to 

 the opinion of one who understands the subject. 

 The closing chapters, especially, on how to pro- 

 vide simple and cheap Luxuries, on Farm Neigh- 

 borhoods and Farmers' Wives, contain many 

 valuable suggestions about how to make farm 

 house work easier and country life more cheer- 

 fuland sociable. With theexception of thechap- 

 ters on Fruits and Vegetables, in which the au- 

 thor is hardly up with the times, the work is high- 

 ly commendable. The book is handsomely and 

 tastefully gotten up, and may be obtained from 

 this office at $1.50, by mail. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Kale.— Subscriber, Ft.— Kale does not re- 

 quire protection in winter; in tact it does not be- 

 come fit for use until after a few sharp frosts. 



Potatoes.— E. M., Lancaster, Pa— Early Potatoes, 

 which have been ripe in July, should have been 

 dug shortly after ripening. Early, that is quick 

 maturing, varieties, if wanted for winter use and 

 for seed, should not be planted early. 



Evergreen Climbers— Mrs. B. B. S.— Homer, La. 

 — Climbing Euonymus (Euonymus radicas,) 

 Climbing Hydrangea (Schizophragma Hydran- 

 geoides) and several species of Honeysuckle, es- 

 pecially Lonicera Halliana are among the best 

 hardy evergreen climbers. If limited to only one 

 kind, we should choose the latter. 



Propagati?ig Violets.— Subscriber Troy, N. ¥.— 

 Violets are generally propagated by dividing the 

 old stools or by layering the offsets and, when 

 rooted, detaching and planting them similar to 

 Strawberry plants. They can be grown from 

 seed, but plants are so cheap and easily obtained 

 that this is hardly worth the trouble. 



Smilax from Seed.— Subscriber— The seed should 

 be soaked in warm water before sowing. It re- 

 quires a high temperature with bottom heat, if 

 possible. A propagating box, like the one des- 

 cribed on another page would answer the pur- 

 pose. When the plants are about two inches 

 high they have to be transplanted into small pots 

 and kept in a warm, moist atmosphere, and 

 never allowed to become dry, except during their 

 season of rest. 



How to destroy Insects- on Roses— This inquiry 

 of several readers is answered by Rob. Stark, 

 Woodstock,Ont. 5 pounds Lime, 3 pounds coarse 

 Tobacco, y% pound Sulphur. Slack the lime, and 

 when it is hot and about the consistency of paste 

 add the sulphur, which must be thoroughly 

 mixed with it, then add three gallons of water ; 

 allow the whole to settle and pour off the liquid. 

 Steep the tobacco in five pailf uls of boiling water 

 tor twelve hours, and then add the lime and sul- 

 phur water. It is then ready for use and should 

 be used with a syringe. 



Keeping Bulbs. MISS L. F. L., Fall River, Mass. 

 -Gladiolus bulbs must be entirely dry to keep 

 well. The bulbs should be lifted without pulling 

 off the stalks, tied into small bundles, and hung 

 up in an airy place, but not exposed to the sun. 

 After the stalks have become entirely dry, cut 

 them off about half an inch from the bulb. The 

 old bulb is then twisted off, and the bulbs for 

 next year's planting are ready for storing away. 

 They keep best in a cool, dry place, where the 

 temperature never falls below the freezing point. 

 If a dry storage place cannot be secured, it is ad- 

 visable to pack the bulbs between layers of dry 

 sawdust. 



Th. J.— Dorchester, Neb.— Girdling or Ringing 

 consists in cutting a narrow ring of bark from 

 the branches of fruit trees. This impedes a 

 part of the descending sap from returning be- 

 low the incision and consequently the sap which 

 would otherwise have returned to the roots and 

 from there would have been distributed through 

 the entire tree, is accumulated in the girdled 

 limb. An increase of fertility in this branch is 

 the result. This process does not promote the 

 general health of the tree however. Judicious 

 pruning, training and cultivation are the means 

 employed by fruit growers, for the healthy pro- 

 duction of fruit. 



Preserving Dahlia Tubers.— R. L., Mass.— A cor- 

 respondent of the Gardener's Record writes : 

 "Though carefully dried before storing away in 

 the autumn, I used continually to lose them by 

 the rotting of the crown, till at length it occurred 

 to me it was occasioned through the decay of the 

 long stalk left attached to the tubers ; this be- 

 coming partially charged with fluid, kept the 

 crown constantly wet. My remedy has been to 

 leave not more than four inches of stalk ; from 

 this to scrape the whole of the outer cover- 

 ing or bark, and at the base to make a small 

 opening which permits any watery deposit to es- 

 cape. The result has been, I have preserved the 

 whole of my tubers, while experienced gardeners 

 around me have complained of loss, notwith- 

 standing that every precaution from damp or 

 frost has been taken," 



