Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-10
RIDING PROFITABLE HOBBIES
ny FREDERIC j. nAsKIN.-No. II.


WASHINGTON. D. c., April o.
Owing TO the congestion in shipping
! no more canaricS are coming from
Europe. Space aboard ship is extreme
| ~ scarce, and necessities arc receiving
! mo first consideration, which at pres
! tht leaves no surplus room for song
| birds. The shipments OF Hartz Noun
| tain canar:es ceased abruptly in Dc
cenbcr. just the so-callcd 1880
| period" was ushcred into fashion with
It's old fashioned parasols. hoop skirts
, and sonGbirds Sow there is "A great
demand for canaries on tho part Of
| the women OF the nation. which makes
the breeding of the little yellow song
bird profitable occupation.
For the woman on tn. farm. and FOR
hirdloSers In general. this Is an at
tractivc side line. While Il few in
6iNiduals in all parts Of the country
| are engaged in raising canar..s. the
supply thus produced is 50 much
smaller than the demand that hun
dreds OF thousands of birds have been
imported annually. so that there is no
doubt as TO Tho existence OF a large
permanent market FOR them. They are
more robust than turkeys which after
weeks OF careful attention, may be
come infected and the whole brood die
at once; and the expense OF their up
keep IL not so great. y pair OF birds,
n breeding caS- and a small outlay for
food, under ordinary conditions, viii
Yield at least a dozen selling birds in
single year.
Requires Little Actual Work.
The greatest factor in favor OF bird
raising. however. is the little time re-
quired for the actual work connected
with II. which makes IL a practicable
sideline. In Germany many OF the
peasants have canary rooms. and shoe
| makers. tailovs and other trad"smcn
often double their incomes by breed
insF Hric NJ ,,,,-
ported birds are raised By persons who
Civ" their entire time to IT.
The bird breeder usually begins
upon small scale. cOnhninE his birds
IL cages and gradually increasing his
equipment in proportion TO his sue
. cess. One pair of birds averages from
three TO five broods q year. but this
number is greatly increased by fol-
lowing the German method OF mating
three females with every male. In it's
wild state, the canary pairs the same
az other birds. often breaking the
muscles Of it's small throat in attract
ing the attention OF some coructtish
female. but under domestcat!on it has
become a polygamous fowl. the male
accepting the harem bestowed upon him
by the breeder. although displaying a
distinct preference for the female with
which he "a FIRST mated.
The canary room, found in many
peasant homes in Germany. is the ideal
breeding equipment. II may pc MI ui-
finished room III the attic, or an UNI
used pantry Of some sort, hut IL must
have plenty q! light and fresh air. not
TOO cold In winter and not 100 hot In
summer. One woman. who clears sew
eral hundred dollars year on her
cunarics. breeds them in a space about
six by eight feet at the end Of her
hall incioscd by wire screening. In
tn" center is a branch Of tree. in
which there are a couple OF nests. ana
the floor Is covered with fresh gravel.
which is changed every morning. the
Noor itself Is Of galvanized iron. which
the breeder finds much easier TO keep
clean than the original wooden boards.
Mother Must TIE Watched.
After the first pale green or blue egg
appears il is necessary to watch care
fully the mother bird, for sometimes
IL seems 10 cause her n great deal OF
unnovnnce and she will peck at II or
roll il out OF her nest. This catastro-
phc may be anticipated by removing
the eggs from the nest win Il spoon
as soon as they are laid. men 'he
third egg has been removed for snort
time il is generally safe to return them
all to the bird who then lays her
fourth egg and sits dutifully upon
them for thirteen days, when they be
gin to hatch.
Occasionally birds will show de-
cidedlv cannibalistic appetite and eat
their own eggs, which is the sign that
their daily food is not rich enough
During the breeding season. especial
Nv, birds should be fed n paste OF boil
ed egg and cracker in addition 10 their
regular food.
Sometimes the male canary becomes
sulIty and cannot he persuaded to take
any interest in the eggs on which he
Is supposed TO sit for time each day
while his mate takes Il rest and par
takes Of food In such event. he should
he removed Immediately from the
cage before he has chance 10 be-
come actively disagreeable and peck
! at his wife.
The selection of the birds themselves
| is a task requiring certain amount
| of skill. which is usually not possessed
by the amateur, and the WiseSt course
| is to choose a reliable dealer and ex-
plain to him that the birds arc TO be
| used as the nucleus OF a breeding bus
! mess. There are no less than twenty
| seven varieties OF canarics. The male
| Hartz Mountain Canary costs from
| $3.50 to 81. while the females may be
| bought for 81.
TrnchinR Them to Sing.
One of tho most interesting features
| OF tho canary-breedinG business Is
| teaching them to sing. for by the quail
ity OF It's voice, OF course, is judged
he 1,,o cS d-A