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THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 
or soft fibers. The beautiful nests of the phoebe con- 
sisting of soft materials ; the cup-shaped mud-lined nest 
of robin and wood thrush ; the durable nest of the wood 
pewee and cedar waxwing and the thistle-down structure 
of the American goldfinch ; the pendant nest of the oriole, 
made from soft plant fibers or string; the semipensile 
nests of the vireos and the wonderful nest of the blue 
gray gnat catcher and humming bird, decorated and con- 
cealed with lichens. 
The early morning hours are usually given over to nest 
building, which proceeds leisurely and deliberately. How- 
ever, where the nest meets with a mishap in some shape 
or other and the time of laying with the bird interested 
is close at hand, they may be seen to complete a new 
structure with little cessation. The color of the eggs 
resembles those of the same species in a general way, 
much as individual blades of the rjbbon grass are easily 
distinguishable as ribbon grass, but yet vary from every 
other blade of the same plant in the disposition of their 
markings. There is much to be learned yet on the nest 
life of many of our commoner birds, and its study is full 
of interest and surprises. Exact data on the length of 
incubation of the various eggs and the growth of the 
fledglings to the point where they are able to leave the 
nest is not yet to be had and should furnish much thought 
to an aspiring student. It is at this time especially that 
birds are repaying us many times for a little forethought 
and protection. When we note the active young robins 
and bluebirds stalking over the lawns actually transposed 
from grub and beetle into golden-throated songsters, 
completing a picture of harmony, color, song and poetry, 
we may well shudder when we think what might be if 
the grub and beetle held full sway and lived out their 
natural life of destruction instead. 
BIRDS IN CEMETERIES. 
HPHE following is one of the many favorable replies 
-*- received by Park and Cemetery of Chicago, in 
answer to the question : "Do you believe the cemeteries 
should encourage the birds, and if so how"? 
"Most decidedly, I believe we should encourage the 
birds ; feed them, shelter them and protect them. In 
cemeteries, as a rule, there are lots of trees and shrubs 
and vines sufficient for sheltering and nesting purposes, 
but these can be greatly augmented by introducing 
artificial nesting houses, ornamental in their way as 
well as useful, and appropriately placed to suit the sev- 
eral genera of birds. And in most cemeteries there is 
open water, either as streams or lakes, sufficient for 
the feathered needs. Now about feeding the birds : 
In cemeteries in a broken or timber country there is 
generally a good deal of natural woodland and lanes 
or belts of trees and shrubs, say, including bird cherry, 
dogwood, wild roses, elderberry, June berry, sumach, 
barberry, hercules club, and other "berry" or small 
fruit bearing shrubs or vines, together with pokeberry, 
sunflower, coreopsis and other seed-bearing herbace- 
ous and annual plants and grasses, and all of these bear 
food for birds. To these in a decorative way may be 
added many plants whose fruit enlarge the bird larder ; 
for instance, the single roses, viburnums of sorts, yel- 
low flowering current, snowberry. Indian currant, 
Japanese crabapples. benzoin bush, Boston ivy, juni- 
pers ; in fact, most anything that will bear and ripen 
berries or other fruit. 
Above all things, give elderberry, mulberry and her- 
cules club the preference as Summer food. And some 
superintendents, like myself, who live in the cemetery, 
and have a big garden, but no scarecrow, are compelled 
to pay toll to the birds in cherries, strawberries, cur- 
rants, corn and other things, but bless you, there is 
enough in the yard for both of us. In Winter we feed 
the birds systematically. To make a man useful you 
have got to keep him busy, more especially a police- 
man, and that is why we have a good one. We have 
two policemen who patrol the cemetery faithfully all 
night — at any rate, before I go to bed — and they pro- 
tect the grounds, including the birds, from night 
prowlers, both bipedal and quadrupedal of all kinds. 
It would ruin the day policeman if he had nothing to 
do but twirl his club, so in Summer time, in addition 
to patrol duties, he is also timekeeper and official mole- 
catcher ; in the Winter time he is timekeeper and bird 
man. We buy mixed bird seed — grain, cracked corn, 
milled sunflower and some other seeds — and distribute 
this at certain feeding places, both on the ground and 
on little table-like boards, eight or nine feet up on the 
trees. A very little goes a long way. He also keeps 
a supply of suet in flat wire nests fastened to the trees. 
The whole thing is exceedingly simple and inexpensive, 
and our "Bobby" is so proud of his job that he thinks 
every bird in the cemetery knows him. 
Wm. Falkoner, Supt. Allegheny Cemetery, 
Pittsburgh, Pa. 
The chairmen of the Committees on Bird Preser- 
vation and Propagation of the National Association 
of Gardeners and The American Association of Park 
Superintendents would like to have readers send answers 
to the following questions : 
Have you made any effort to encourage the birds, 
and if you have, what methods have you employed, 
and what results have you obtained? 
Have you made an effort to educate the people of 
your vicinity on the value of encouraging and protect- 
ing our native birds ? 
Have you any personal observations or expressions 
on this subject, which might be of interest to the readers? 
If so, send them along for publication in the Gardeners' 
Chronicle. 
DARWIN TULIPS AS CUT FLOWERS. 
AS cut flowers Darwins are hard to beat. If left on 
the plant for forty-eight hours after it opens then 
cut and put in water it will enlarge and grow to nearly 
double its size. By keeping them in the coolest part of 
the room and giving fresh water every day they will 
easily last a week in good, shape. A vase in the window 
where the light can strike through the flower will bring 
out some beautiful shades not obtainable in any other 
flower. 
There is a great difference of opinion as to the proper 
time and method of planting Darwins. Some advise ex- 
tra earlv, some extra late, and some claim they should 
be planted at the same time as the early varieties. In 
mv experience it is best to plant them the first or second 
week in October. That is right after the earlies are put 
in. I do not believe the bulbs will flower earlier or later 
by planting early or late. Last year I planted some Sep- 
tember 15, some Decembee 15, and some as late as March 
15, and thev all flowered at the same time, from May 
25-30. Where we have such hard winters I advise plant- 
ing at least five inches deep, and after the ground has 
frozen solid, by January 1. give a good mulch of leaves 
or straw. This mulch should not be removed too early 
in the Spring or an earlv growth will be frozen down. 
Let the Tulips show an inch out of the ground but not 
through the mulch before uncovering, then be very care- 
ful not to break off the tender shoots. — Raymond IV, 
Szvett in Modern Gladiolus Grower. 
