The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-22
How CannrlOs Ure Bred,

"And what do you deal in when wild
animals are dull ?" asked a reporter of Mr..
, Rciche ....,
These" and Mr.. Rciche waved his
hand to signify what seemed from their
, 1luttcr and their noise million canarics.
Each bird was confined separately In a lit
tie wicker cage in the form of a cube,
measuring about six inches in all ways.
These lined all the walls Of the large shop,
rising in tiers to the ceiling, and barricadcs
OF them rose at intervals from the floor.
"Thc canary bird is my staple" Mr..
Rcichc continued "From August until
May these little creatures come to me at the
rate Of 1000 every week. When | came
to this country, in 1877, there was no trade
in canary birds, just as there was no trade
in flowers. You could not buy canary's
cage or seed TO feed him with in this city.
These things had TO &c sent for to Europc.
The taste for birds and flowers had to be
inc'llcatcd, and it has been since that time.
They call them canary birds, but they
urc German birds. The nmtivc canary docs
not sing. 1t was when the canary was
crossed with the linnct and the lark and
other song birds Of Europe that the little
musician which We know as the canary
came to exist. These birds urc all bred i'm
Germany. The inhabitants of the IIartz
Mountains supply the civilized world.
There is not II cottage in all the region
about Andrcasburg and the Brockcn that is
not full of them. Some of the peasants
raise as many as 300 in Il year, but the
average Is perhaps twenty to Il house. AS
much as $500, ,OUG goes to the inhabitants of
the ltartZ Mountains for their canary birds
every year. They have bred them for gen
cra'ions, and fairs are held and prizes are
offered to stimulate the breeders.
'IheSc wicker cages" the fancicr con-
tinued, holding up one slcndcrly and simply
constructed of soft white wood, ''nre made
by the peasants Who breed the birds The
canary that comes to America is confined
to his cage for space of about three
weeks. send an order for several thou
sand birds to my brother in Germany, lie
directs Il number Of agents to collect in the
liarz enough birds to fill the order The
peasant has no general place of sale. The
agents go from cottage TO cottage, buying
IN one 500 birds, and in another 700, and
50 on. Instructions are given to send these
BIRDS to the port of Shipment to be there
on Friday. On Saturday the ship sails.
Men go with the birds to feed and care for
them. One man can take care of 300
birds, and | generally have two men going
each way in the North German ships every
week. :" -.
Here Mr. Rcichc requested one of his
men to show how the birds fed The man
lifted in his left hand six or eight little
cages that were fastened together in a line,
and with kind of shovel, held in his right,
scoopcd up quantity of seed from
bucket at his side, and with single sweep
scattered the same through tho bars and
into little cups arranged inside. With like
skill and cclcrty water was poured into the
| cages from a can such ns is used in the
filing of lamps.
"1ou see how one man can take care of
1,25o BIRDS" Mr.. Reiche said. "With
two sweeps of his hand he can feed and water
eight birds, and you only have to multiply,
The little fellows have to be as tcndorly
cared for rs children. They arc two weeks
coming from the Hartz Mountains to New
York, and they arc never more than two
weeks, and generally not one week III the
ship, SO their period of close confinement is
moi very long. The cannot be kept in auch
quarters, and whenever by any accident l
see that am likely to he left with many
on hand send them out and at once sell
them by auction" va.