706. Canary-birds, that are kept tame, will breed three or four times in the year. Towards the middle of March, begin to match your birds, putting one cock and hen into the breeding-cage, which should be large, so that the birds may have room to fly and exercise themselves. Place two boxes or little basket-nests in the cage, for the hen to lay her eggs in, because she will sometimes have a second brood before the first are fit to fly, leaving the care of them to the father-bird, who feeds and brings them up with much care, while she is sitting on her second nest of eggs. Whilst your birds are pairing, feed them, besides the usual seeds, with the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, bread that has been moistened, or, if hard, grated fine, and pounded almond-meat. When the young birds are to be fed, give the same soft food, and be sure have it fresh every day; also furnish the old birds with fresh greens, such as cabbage-lettuce, chick weed, groundsel, &c. Give fresh water every day, and a clean bath every morning. The hen lays, commonly, four or five eggs, and sits fourteen days. When the young are hatched, leave them to the care of the old birds, to nurse and bring up till they can fly and feed themselves, which is, usually, in about twenty days.
707. Gold and Silver Fish.—Pure rain-water is best to keep these delicate little creatures in; they should never be put into water that has been boiled. It is a good plan to throw them in the morning into a large bowl of fresh water, with a few bread-crumbs in it, and let them remain there an hour. Then put them in pure fresh water in their vases. The water should be changed every day. If the bread remains in the water to become sour, it will kill the fish.
708. Improvement in the management of Bees.—The improvement is that of having double skeps or hives, the one on the top of the other. When the lower skep is filled with honey, it is to be removed after the bees are admitted (through a passage which is made to be opened) into the upper skep; into this skep food must be put, and the bees will remain there, and go on with their work in it. When it is filled with honey, the former skep, with food in it, may be replaced, and the bees again admitted into it. The full skep is then to be taken away. This change of the skeps must always be made about midsummer; and by thus annually removing the full one, more honey will be collected than is usual, and the bees will not be destroyed.
709. To preserve Flowers in Water.—Mix a little carbonate of soda with the water, and it will preserve the flowers for a fortnight. Common saltpetre is also a good preservative.
710. To preserve Flowers in Winter.—Take the latest buds just as they are ready to open; cut them off, leaving the stem about three inches long; cover the end of the stem with melted sealing-wax, and when the buds are a little withered, wrap them separately in paper, and place them in a dry box. When you wish to have the buds blossom, cut off the sealed end, and put them into water in which a little saltpetre has been dissolved. In twelve hours the buds will be open.