American improvements by which the cost of feeding is so greatly reduced, and the probability of a duty being laid on foreign silk–the fact that a farmer may raise a few pounds of silk without neglecting his other crops or any additional expense, and that were each farmer to do so, the balance of trade would be turned so largely in our favour, and a stop put to the incessant drain of specie, are among the private and public reasons that should dispose all to give the silk culture at least a fair trial.
Governor Seward, of New York, in his recent message, presents the most cogent reasons for the advancement of the Silk culture, and the important fact, that two small districts in Italy, possesing less natural advantages than that State, export silks annually to the amount of twenty-five millions of dollars.
The instruction condensed in the foregoing Manual, is believed to be sufficient for any intelligent mind. Further information will be abundantly supplied in the monthly Journal on Silk, by G. B. Smith, Baltimore, Md., or by E. Morris, Burlington, N. J.
DUTY ON SILK.
In 1839 the imports of Silk amounted to 22,838,028 dollars; of which nearly 22,000,000 dollars was free of duty. Had a fair duty been imposed on this Silk, the impoverished treasury of the country would have gained 5,000,000 dollars, and the country itself would have been benefited many million dollars more, in aiding the home production of the article. It may well be said, that in imposing duties on all our produce, other countries evince a determination to protect their own industry, to encourage their own citizens, in short, to take care of themselves, leaving us to argue about the doctrine of free trade, which is free only upon one side, and whose only tendency, so far, has been to drain our country of its precious metals.
BIRDS.
DIRECTIONS FOR FEEDING AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT.
Canaries become delicate and feeble from improper treatment. Their docility, beautiful plumage, and sweetness of notes, render them general favourites. When young, feed on a paste nude by bruising rape seed, blowing the chaff away, mixed with pieces of bread powdered. Give a teaspoonful with a little hard egg and a few drops of water, when turning sour, mix fresh. Add as they grow older, scalded rape seed without bruising, chopped almond and chickweed, in hot weather twice a day. If sick, give milk of hemp seed, made by bruising clean seed and straining it through linen into water, taking the water glass away from the sick. As they advance in age, give rape and canary, and occasionally bruised hemp seed, taking the soft food away by degrees. Cuttle-fish bone is preferable to loaf sugar. Cakes, apples, berries, bread soaked, the water squeezed out and milk added, are good, and cabbage occasionally, when in season, is excellent.
Peaches should be round and strong without crevices or shoulders for insects to breed or harbour, and every corner of the cage should be brushed out and kept thoroughly clean.
The Claws are sometimes so long as to occasion accidents by catching in the wires, in which case trim them.
Mortar placed in the cage facilitates the production of eggs.
Teach singing by separating the bird from the others, so that he may hear no singing, cover his cage for a few days with a thin cloth, then play your flageolet or bird organ several times each day, without harshness. At the end of fifteen days, change the thin cloth for a thick green or red serge, and keep covered till perfect in the air you wish to teach. Feed once a day and night. It is better to teach one good tune well than several imperfectly. The bird will copy all imperfections.
Bad or dull singers are improved by hearing the more spirited and perfect.
Surfeit indicated by swelling of lower part of body, and occasioned by too much chickweed, salad, or soft food. Put alum in the water for three or four days, or put a rusty nail in the water, or common salt. Put the bird, if bad, in lukewarm milk a few minutes, then wash with water, wipe and dry gently.
Sick Birds may have boiled bread and milk with canary seed boiled in it; lettuce seed, and when moulting, or renewing its feathers, indicated by drooping, putting its head under its wing, dropping small feathers, give nourishing food, as hemp seed, sponge, biscuit, &c., keep warm and quiet, and keep much in the sun. A cold air or draft is injurious. Put in the water a little refined liquorice.
Shy Larks.–Feed on seeds, but rarely on insects. Give salad leaves, gravel with a bit of green sod.
Red Bird.–Teed on seeds of all kinds, whortle-berries, cherries and other fruits, insects, &c.
American Yellow Bird.–Beautiful plumage and fine song. They are hardy, and the cage should be often hung out. Give plenty of water, gravel, rich oily seeds, with occasional sunflower and lettuce seeds; leaves of beet, salad, apples, and other fruits.
Gold Finch.–Treat similar to American Yellow Bird.
Cardinal Grosbeak.–Of splendid plumage and exquisite song. They are hardy and may be kept without fire in a room most of the winter, except in the northern states. Allow frequent air and sun. Feed on rough unhulled rice and hemp, wheat, brown gravel, cracked corn, and millet occasionally, with plenty of water for bathing. These birds are long lived, the Philadelphia Museum having one which died when twenty-one years old.
Java Sparrow.–Very delicate, with pretty plumage, but little music. Feed on unhulled rice and canary seed, with plenty of brown gravel.
Purple Finch or Linnet.–A delightful songster. Give canary, hemp, millet, and sun-flower seeds, with juniper and cedar berries through the winter, salad and beet tops in summer.
Any other of the Finch tribe may be fed on seeds generally, as the preceding. Perfect cleanliness of the cage, and a constant supply of fresh water and gravel are essential.
Baltimore Oriole.–A bird of delightful plumage and rich brilliant music, well repaying the utmost care. They eat fruit of all kinds, seeds, insects, &c. Give
