The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-04-19
A BIRD G ARDEN,

1 A bird garden IS sdrueH to WHlcn
 birds resort to enjoy the comforts which
 have there been provided for them | shape--the most unpretentious little
 dooryard may be made attractive to certain birds-but to be a success 1t | should contain desirable nesting sites | for such species as might possibly 1 build there, fresh water in the spring,
 summer and autumn, and a generous
 supply of suitable food at all times of | the year. In addition to these attrac- l tions, the birds should, as far as pos sible be guaranteed safety from all | enemies, real or imaginary; imaginary | enemies are just as alarming as real | ones.
 | The ideal place to start a bird gar- den would of course be a large estate with woods and ponds and with q stream running through 1t; an estate having plenty of large old trees Of
 many kinds, ancient orchards, and gray farm buildings, and perhaps with a generous slice of land which had
 never been improved" Unfortunately
 very few of us have an estate such as
 I have described, so our bird gardens
 must have more modest beginnings.
 But never mind, if we have a garden
 at all we can attract birds to it, and
 we can console ourselves with the fact
 the the smaller it is the less work it
 will entail, and the more personal at
 tention we can give 1t.
 Of the two great essentials, food
 and safety. the latter is the first to be
 considered An ornithoogist friend of
 mine says that the first step in nak-
 ing a bird garden is to drown the cat
 don't agree with him on this pointi
 shooting is much better but as it
 makes go much noise, l suggest ehlor-
 oform as being al once painless and
 silent. You can't give up the cat?
 Then don't have a bird garden. We
 have no more right to lure these beau tiful gentle creatures to our homes
 when their neutral enemy, the cat, is on the premises. than we have to in-
 vite guests to dine with us, and then usher them into the same room with hungry tiger. If there are children about they must be taught to move quietly and gently in that portion of the grounds set apart for birds, and the family washing should be dried where the fluttering garments will not strike terror to the heart of the fea- thered visitor. The birds must not only be safe, they must feel safe; then they will come and hunt for food; if they find it they will come again ! and perhaps they will decide that they | cannot do better than make their home with us. They have to nest some where, and as a rule they will choose | a place where there is a good nesting site, where they feel safe, and where there is plenty of suitable food close at hand
 Tn the making of a bird garden it will make some difference whether the garden is our own or not. If we expect to live on the place for a num- Der of years. we can make a careful plan, plant the most desirable trees and shrubs, and in short arrange a garden which will become more com- pIete and attractive every year Amongst the most desirable trees to plant are the mulberry and wild cher ry. Both of these attract many spe- eies; some come for the fruit itself and others for the insects attracted by he fruit. Such bushes as barberry, Juniper, raspberry, currant sumach and gooseberry are also regarded with great favor by many birds; while Vir- sinia ereeper trumpet creeper, bitter sweet, clematis and honeysuckle all nave either flowers or fruit which birds are fond of. In such garden, oo, we should have in some quiet spot, a shallow pond, or a pond with shallow places. fed by running water f possible. Here the birds will come o drink and bathe, and near it they will remain to dry themselves in the unshine and to rearrange their dis ordered plumage, The sight of a l carlet tanager or of rose breasted ;rosbeak at the bath will be compen- ation for much trouble.
 It will be we'll to allow q part of the { arden to run wild and become over- un with brambles and creepers To he comfort of some birds a bit of wilderness is essential. Fresh paint, $ ron palines and modern improve. ( lents are not to be the taste of our Q friends as a rule They pre- I er gray weatherb bea ten outbuildings, ( loss- covered rail fences aud tumble a own stone walls, and If they are to