Our  Canaries 
of  green  fpod  or  fruit  daily  when  weather  is  mild,  will  form  a  good  general 
plan  of  management. 
It  may  be  varied  at  discretion  on  the  lines  of  increasing  or  decreasmg 
the  allowance  of  mixed  seeds,  according  as  the  birds  are  kept  in  warm  or  cold 
rooms,  and  as  they  have  more  or  less  space  for  exercise.  Give  more  to  those 
which  are  kept  in  the  coldest  place  and  have  more  space  for  exercise,  and 
less  to  those  which  are  kept  in  the  warmest  place  and  have  little  exercise. 
WHEN  SPRING  ARRIVES. 
Kept  on  the  lines  indicated  there  will  be  but  little  need  for  the  forcing 
treatment  which  is  too  commonly  regarded  as  a  necessary  preliminary  to  the 
pairing  time.  Given  proper  treatment  and  healthy  stock — and  none  other  are 
worthy  the  position  of  stock  birds— the  natural  influences  operating  at  the 
right  season  should,  and  will,  be  all  the  stimulus  that  is  required  to  start  the 
birds  breeding.  The  staple  should  still  consist  of  plain  Canary  seed,  and  the 
pinch  of  summer  rape  may  be  made  a  daily  item.  Mixed  seed  consisting  of 
hemp,  inga,  teazle,  and  millet,  one  part  of  each,  and  a  half  part  each  of 
linseed,  maw,  and  gold  of  pleasure,  may  be  given  in  the  proportion  of  a  half- 
teaspoonful  per  bird  every  second  day,  and  a  similar  quantity  of  egg  food  on 
the  intervening  days. 
FOOD  DURING  INCUBATION. 
Green  food,  of  which  all  birds  are  fond,  should  also  form  a  daily  item  as  soon  as 
the  weather  becomes  mild  and  open,  but  care  must  be  taken  that  none  is 
given  in  a  wet  or  frosted  condition.  This  diet  should  be  continued  until  the 
hens  have  laid  their  clutch  of  eggs  and  commenced  to  sit,  when  it  must  at 
once  be  reduced  again  to  the  plain  menu  of  the  winter  season,  until  the  time 
arrives  when  it  is  necessary  to  add  extra  for  the  needs  of  the  young  which  in 
the  natural  order  and  fitness  of  things  should  put  in  their  appearance.  As  to 
what  constitutes  the  best  mode  of  feeding  at  this  important  period  opinions 
vary  so  much,  even  when  one  professedly  aims  at  a  simple  diet,  that  no 
apology  will  be  required  for  adding  to  our  own  a  selection  from  the  experiences 
of  other  notable  breeders. 
FEEDING  THE  YOUNG  CANARIES. 
When  the  hatching  process  is  completed  one  should  begin  to  supply  egg- 
food  to  each  pair  as  occasion  requires,  beginning  with  pure  egg  yolk,  and 
gradually  bringing  them  on  to  the  ordinary  egg-food  by  the  third  day.  From 
the  fourteenth  day  until  the  young  are  three  days  old  the  bath  should  be 
witheld,  unless  given  for  some  particular  purpose  as  will  be  mentioned 
hereafter.  In  the  meantime,  if  all  goes  well  and  the  hen  feeds  the  young 
satisfactorily,  adhere  to  simple  methods  only. 
