SCIENCE 
IS 
KNOWLEDGE. 
KNOWLEDGE 
IS 
POWER. 
A PRACTICAL JOURNAL OF 
HOME ARTS 
Vol. VI. 
NEW YORK, NOVEMBER, 1883. 
No. 11. 
Canaries: How to Keep and Breed 
Them.-IV. 
BY GORDON STABLES. 
HE weaning sea- 
son lasts from the 
day they begin 
to craclc seeds 
until they are at 
least six weeks 
old, by which 
time the e g g- 
food, the supply 
of which h a, s 
been given in 
daily diminish- 
ing doses, may be left off altogetlier. 
If you intend to go in for what is called 
aviary breeding, you will have a deal 
more trouble, but also a deal more 
pleasure. In this case it is usual to turn 
in three males with twelve hens. My 
own advice is to turn in three males with 
only nine liens ; that makes up the dozen, 
and there is more chance of strong 
healthy birds. The breeding season, be- 
gan in the middle of March, should end 
early in August, or last week in July. 
Sell your young birds if possible to pri- 
vate purchasers ; if you cannot, then ad- 
vertise them in papers devoted to live 
stock, etc. It is in selling especially that 
you find the advantage of possessing a 
good prize strain. There is nothing like 
pedigree animals for breeding purposes, 
no matter what they are. 
I now come to say a few words about 
moulting. This is a most critical season 
with all birds, and the first moult of the 
young canary is eminently so. The moult- 
ing season for old birds generally begins 
some time in July, and extends over three 
or even four months, as a great deal de- 
pends upon the constitution of the bird, 
and how it is treated. Young birds show 
evidence of moulting sometimes as early 
as the seventh week, but any time be- 
tween that and the tenth week is the 
usual time. When moulting begins 
among hen canaries, breeding should be 
brouglit to a close ; if the male loses 
feathers first, it is the sign he is weak 
and the season is over; at any rate you 
must make it so. Put your hens by 
