I last season planted 4,000 cabbage plants pro¬ 
duced from your seed, and I do hereby certify 
that out of that number th^re were not more 
than 25 plants that did not make a marketable 
head. 
I also would l:ke to plant other speds from 
your House, next Spring, I want a pound or so 
of cabbage seed now. 
Y. M. St. Clair, 
Blue Ridge Springs, 
Botetourt Co., Va. 
Answer:—Thank you for the cheering report, 
but my friend I beg to assure you that I have 
figured closely in issuing this list and cannot 
accept, or make any special offer to any one 
lower than those given. 
I have been compelled to advance the price 
of Premium Flat Dutch Cabbage one dollar per 
pound on account of the very short crop har¬ 
vested this season, which will no doubt affect 
the quotations in other lists when issued. 
While you complain of this you do not seem to 
notice that I have reduced the price on several 
other varieties of cabbage. Henderson’s Early 
Summer, which was last Spring worth $7.00 per 
pound I now quote at five dollars. 
It is my aim to offer seeds which are in quality 
above suspicion at as low a price as they can be 
bought at elsewhere in the Union. I do not 
fully understand the offer you make. You ate 
at liberty to accept any of my special offers, but 
whatever seeds you wish by weight additional, 
must be added at the price quoted. I shall hope 
to receive your continued patronage, and will 
strive to give the same satisfaction in the future 
as in the past. 
ONIONS AND CANARY BIRDS. 
Lombardy, Me Duffer Co., Ga. 
Oct. 18, 1880. 
Dear sir:— 
Will your black onion seed produce 
bulbs the first season in the south? Please give 
me instructions on the management of canary 
birds, if that may come within the scope of Seed- 
Time and Harvest. 
Respectfully Yours,-T. M. D. 
Answer:—I have many patrons even as far 
south as Texas, who plant my onion seed and 
obtain good crops the same season. To do it I 
think it is necessary to plant seeds which are 
grown as far north as Pennsylvania. I am pre¬ 
paring an article upon onion culture for our 
April number and will be thankful for any 
notes concering the experience of my southern 
friends on this subject. 
The canary bird was first found a native 
of the Canary Islands, from whence it was 
brought to Europe in the 16th century and 
made a household pet. It is a small sing¬ 
ing bird of the finch family, and perhaps no 
other pet has found so warm a place in the 
hearts of all classes of civilized humanity. 
A ship having many canary birsd 
on board was wrecked near the Isle of El¬ 
ba, on the coast of Italy. The mild climate 
was so congenial to them that they increased 
rapidly, and would have naturalized them¬ 
selves in their new home had not their fine 
melody caused them to be hunted by the 
natives, until no wild birds were left on 
Elba’s Rocky Isle. 
The music loving Italians, were the first 
to tame and breed the little songster whose 
music touched a responsive chord in their 
hearts. The canary next found a place in 
the kingdom of Hanover, a part of Ger¬ 
many, where the peasants make their chief 
means of subsistance by their breeding. 
The Hartz Mountains, is the great breed¬ 
ing mart of the world, and the most of the 
40,000 birds imported into the United 
States, are furnished from this locality. 
The male is the singing bird; The female 
scarcely ever sings. 
A bird well taken care of will continue 
in song twelve or fifteen years. Much 
has been written, and manj r rules given, 
tor taking care of canaries, which only go 
to show the ignorance and error of the 
writer. Breeding and rearing canaries is 
at this time a rapidly increasing industry 
in this country, and well adapted to the 
aged and the invalid. 
A good singer is worth as much as a good 
turkey, and will out sell it in most large 
cities and towns of the United States. 
In breeding and rearing, the rules most 
to be observed are, first, cleanliness, second 
even temperature, third, good pure water, 
once per day, fourth, freedom from vermin 
5th give sand and gravel. They will thrive 
on many kinds of seeds, and when ground 
nearly all cerials that mankind eat. One 
pint of seed will last a single bird six weeks 
Canary seed is much used as food. Cuttle 
bone supplies the place of sand and gravel. 
$80. to $100. worth of birds have been 
raised and sold from a single pair of birds 
in one season, without interfering with the 
regular hours of labor, by factory opera¬ 
tives, miners and needle women. 
There are large bird dealers and import¬ 
ers in New York and Philadelphia, but 
they can and should be raised in the United 
States, as well as in Germany. 
Books teaching you how to breed and 
rear canaries can he had at most bookstores 
experience, however, is the best teacher 
“If at first you dont succeed try again. 
