Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-09
CARE OF cAnARIEs.
How 20 Properly Feed and Look Afts
err the songEters.

How 70 Properly. Feed and Look Afts
err the sOngsters.
When the canary Is IN orJ'nary
health the more plainly IT Il fed the
better. says the Pittsburg Press. The
usual mixture is what Is called black
and white canary seed, the black being
good summer rape. OF this one part
is added TO two of the other. II is I'm
portant. however. that the seed be
good and clean-that is, free from dust
and grit.
The canary seed should be fat, gilt
tsring seeds. and before putting 1t In
the tin of a morning not only should
the tin itself be cleansed, but the seed
should be put upon a piece of white
paper and the dust or grit, II any,
blow. away or removed. In addition
10 these seeds a little green food must
be given. fresh every day, but not
damp. The best are probably plantaIn.
ripe groundsel. ripe chickweed, a lit.
tie lettuce or water cress.
A. to dainties, the less of these the
better. We may, perhaps, make an
exception In the traditional morsel Of
sugar or crumb Of sweet biscuit, but a
bird win not keep long In song that
has much OF either.
Water should be given fresh every
morning, the little glass fountain being
previously we'll rinsed out Soft filter
ed water is best by far. A great many
ailments are induced by hard water.
In the wild state birds drink the rain
water from the leaves This Is pure
and contains, of course. no hardness.
Sand is another important sine qua
non of health. 1t should be rather
coarse OF gritty and very clean. Per
haps washed sea sand is as good as
any. The bottom of the cage should
always be thiekly strewn with this
Immediately after the cage is cleaned
in the morning, a stock being kept in
the house for the purpose.
A song canary will not do well for
any Length Of time In a stuffy, badly
ventilated room. Fresh air is essen
tiaI TO health Another thing that
tends greatly 10 keep the bird in health
Is sun bath. On fine days the cage
should he so hung that the sunshine
shall penetrate the cage. but at the
same time 1t must be remembered that
too much heat Is very dangerous, So
one-half of the cage should be invar:-
ably covered with cloth.
This cloth comes in handy In several
other ways-at night, Tor example;
more particularly when the tempera-
ture is low or likely to be. On such
occasions the cage is TO be covered
quite over. but in summer part
should always be left open. The cloth
| may be required also at times when
| anything is being done IN the room
likely to brighten the bird. Some birds
are naturally timid and easily alarmed.
| When they are so. Il Is useless trying
to tame them; the heart Is weak and
they need extra gentle treatment. We
| have known a bird OF this kind al
most frightened TO death by some one,
while sewing. tearing Il piece OF linen
! down the center.
| Apropos Of fresh air, the bird in
| the winters evening is too often hung
| in position we have already con-
| demned as prejudicial TO It's health in
Il
room where gas il burning. II the
bird must be in this room the cage
should be lowered and partially Gov
cred up Smoke. steam and all sorts
OF vapors tend TO injure the health
| slowly. or. indeed. TO cause Illness and
loss OF voice.
A forenoon h9th daily In fine weather
Is an excellent preservatiyNa of life and
| voice In the song canary. \ saucer
| makes as gaol n bath as any. the wa
| ter being clear rain water. 1t Is usual
| ly placed IN the cage. but II the bird
has been tanned thoroughly and al
lowed its freedom for u time every
day the bath should he placed on a
chair or on the floor. Tile bird will
come TO look upon this ns very great
luxury and the cage remains unsoiled.