St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-06-02

, 1894.
NOVEL SINGING SCHOOL.
Vocal Art.
One Of the best cage songsters that
, comes to MS from across the water il
the little bullhnch. . small. shy bird
which inhabits the well-wooded dis
tricts Of Asia. central and southern
Europe, and parts Of England. It IL
found in this country only - . cap
tive. At home the bullfiuch attacks
the young buds Of fruit-trees, and In
ours the enmity Of the gardeners al
through Europe; but the bird Is such .
sweet singer and whistler that his
fault in this respect is overcome by his
excess of good qualities In Germany
thousands of bullfinches are bred and
trained for the market every year. and
many are imported to this country ~
csge-birds
At Hesse and Fulda are several cele-
brated singing-schools where these
singers have their voices and ears
trained almost to perfection. Germany
has supplied to the world some of the
grandest human musicians; and she
excels rs we'll in cultivating and train
ing the little bird-musicians sent forth
to all parts of the world.
The little bullfinches are raised in
confinement, and when very young they
arc divided into classes Of six each.
Each class has separate room. where
the six little birds are shut up in dark
ness. with plenty of food near them.
This is before they have yet learned to
whistle and initiate the songs of other
birds Suddenly the sweet notes of an
organ startle the birds, and cause them
to hop around in their dark prison. A
the music continues, their spirits be-
come enlivened. Soon they pick up
some Of the food and chirp forth . few
crude notes in imitation of the music.
Light il then gradually allowed to en-
ter the room. thus increasing the hap
piness Of the singers. and they break
forth into ecstatic song. The music is
continued all day. and the enthusiastic
birds try to follow and initiate it until
fairly exhausted by their efforts
This is the preparatory school; and
after each class of six has spent some
time here. the several birds are handed
over to training boys whose business it
is to continue their instruction. The
advanced pupils are taken into separate
rooms where organs are played from
early morning and night The organs
used are ordinary organs that have soft.
pure. hute-like notes, with nothing
harsh Or dsagreeable in the sound.
Some birds are trained by means of
the flute, but In the larger esta blish-
ments small organs are commonly
used.
Everything 10 done for the birds hap
piness. and the little creatures are kept
in the best of spirits The owner
comes around every day or two to ex-
anime his pupils. So we'll does he un-
derstand the natures Of the little singers
that he reproves or praises the various
ones in . manner that they perfectly
understand. This training goes ON for
eight or nine months, when the birds
are ready for their diplomas. II their
voices have acquired Armness. and they
do not forget or leave out passages in
their songs, they pass examination.
and arc permitted TO leave the singing
school. There are different grades
of pupils in these bird seminafies,
rs in every other large school.
and, while the majority can re-
member only . simple air with . short
prelude, there are some intelligent
ones that can b taught to whistle a.
many ~ three different airs, without
spelling or confusing them. Such
bright birds are often kept longer In
the seminary, and . postgraduate
course is given them.
In this course they are taught 70
initiate the songs Of other birds. which
they do to perfection; but care Is taken
to preserve their memory Of tho early
education. They are also taught
amusing tricks, which increase their
value rs performers The birds from
these German seminaries arc distrib-
uted all over the country, and are sold
for good prices Sometimes on nrst
being taken from their seminary
home the bull6nch becomes gloomy
and quiet, and refuses to sing. This 10
an important period In hid life, and the
new owner should at first occasionally
play the air that the bird has been &C
customed to hear on the organ. This
will cheer the captive's dropping cour.
age, and start it into song once more.
These bullfnchcs begin their train
ing about four days after they are out
of the shell, and are not dismissed un-
til nearly years instruction has per.
fected their voices. Like the parrot,
they are very attentive, and they will
learn some of the harsh notes Of their
parents II allowed to remain with them
many days They never pipe until
they can feed themselves, and then
they are given I. correct piping to
initiate. A high, pure, manly whistle
will be responded to by them in full.
round, flute-like tone. Bullhnches
brought up carelessly soon acquire bad
habits in their singing, but those sent
from the German singing schools very
rarely offend in this way. They carry
their diplomas with them, and they do
credit to their Instructors - George
Ethelbert Walsh, in St NicholaA
The Name q rur.er.
Not every Turner owes his name to
. lathe-working ancestor. for. - Mr..
Davies wrote in his account Of the
York press, 1.-The elaborate initial and
capital letters and horeated marginal
borders were invented and drawn by
the turnours and hourishers." and it IL
highly probable that they made their
impress on the nomenclature Of pos
terity. Mr.. Lower says that ''those
WIN dislikA the nlAheian tnmrnnre of