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PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

(above) Young Belgian Hare Buck
(below) Mother and Daughter—Blue Imperials

PRACTICAL
RABBIT
KEEPING

BY

EDWARD I. FARRINGTON
Author of “The Home Poultry Book.’?

oc

NEW YORK
ROBERT M. McBRIDE & CO.
1919

Copyright, ro19
by
ROBERT M. McBRIDE & COMPANY

Printed in the United States oy Amentea.
(Second Printing August, 1919)

Published June, 1919

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I Wuy To Raise RappBitrs.§ . . . . I

II ALitrre Rappitr Hisrory . . .. . 9
III Tue Best Raspirs For Meat . . . 16
IV Tue So-catteD Fancy RapBirs. . . 24
V Rassits as Pets ForRCHILDREN. . . 4!
VI Howto Becin Raspit Keeping. . . 46
VII Houses, Hurcues AND YARDS . . «85,
VIII Tue GeneraL Care OF RaBBITS . . . 74
IX Wuatanp Howto Freep . . . . 80
X Srmpre Rutes For BREEDING . . . 96
XI Raistnc THE YOUNG Stock . » « TO
XII Exurerrinc anp SELLING . . . «TIS
XIII PREPARING RABBITS FoRTHE TABLE. . 125
XIV Rassir Furs AND THEIR VALUE. . . 136
XV Wuen Razsits Are Out oF ConpiTion. 146
APPENDIX a. i> Sep. “wey cl cae -<ee CSG

inom: 4 es oe we Oe ee OF

THE ILLUSTRATIONS

Young Belgian Hare Buck
Mother and Daughter— . . . Frontispiece
Blue Imperials

Pair of Young Himalayans . . _ facing page 24
An English Rabbit . . . . . ” "24
White Giant and Her Offspring . . ” 7” 40
So-called Black Siberian Doe . . . ” ” 40
Well-arranged Commercial Rabbitry . ” "56
Type of Convenient Outdoor Hutch . ” * 92
‘Well-marked Dutch Rabbit . . . ” ” 120

English Lop-eared Rabbit ee. Mad, eg Oe ” 120
Hutchesin Three Tiers . . . . ” ” 136
The Right Way to Lifta Rabbit . . ” ” 152
Register Number Tatooed on Ear . . ” ” 152

vil

PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Chapter I.

WHY TO RAISE RABBITS.

OME twenty years ago the United States
S and Canada experienced what is still
spoken of as the Belgian Hare boom.
Small fortunes were made and lost in the

breeding of these rabbits—for true rabbits
they are, the name of hare being a misnomer.

Elaborate breeding houses were constructed,
hundreds of animals were imported and such
prices as fifty and one hundred dollars for
single rabbits were common. Now this boom
was largely artificial, built up by a few breed-
ers with stock to sell and kept going by the
repeated assurances of these breeders that all
surplus stock could be sold for meat at profit-
able prices. In point of fact there was very
little demand for rabbit meat apart from that
I

2 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

of wild rabbits, large numbers of which are
always offered every winter. When this was
discovered the bottom dropped out of the
boom and rabbits which had been worth fifty
dollars one day were worth hardly five the
next. The public was not ready for rabbit
meat as a steady diet at that time, as other
kinds of meat, including poultry, were com-
paratively cheap and plentiful.

Nevertheless, a large number of people con-
tinued to keep rabbits in a small way, some
of them because they had become fond of the
meat and found they could produce it at very
low cost, and others because they enjoyed mak-
ing pets of the handsome little animals. Now
another and healthier development of the
industry is being felt all over the land, fostered
to a great extent by the high cost of living.
Rabbit meat is the cheapest meat that can be
raised, not excepting poultry. It is meat of
excellent quality, too, and can be prepared for
the table in many ways.

Many of the advertisements in regard to the
remarkable fecundity of the rabbit are mis-
leading yet it is a fact that the animals. mul-
tiply very rapidly. A doe can have five litters

WHY TO RAISE RABBITS 3

a year without draining her vitality and she
may be fairly expected to raise six youngsters
from each litter, which makes a total of thirty.
This may be done when starting with only a
single animal, the doe being purchased after
having been bred.

The cost of raising the young rabbits will
vary with the location and amount of food
purchased. Six cents a pound is often set
down as an average. Many breeders claim
that they get their rabbits to market size for
several cents less per pound, and if they have
a garden doubtless they do, as much of the
food eaten by the animals can be raised at
home. It has been estimated that the cost of
maintaining a mature rabbit for a year when
all the food must be purchased is about one
dollar. The majority of amateur rabbit keep-
ers have a little land and expect to feed their
animals largely on garden stuff, in winter as
well as in summer, carrots, parsnips and other
vegetables which can be stored for winter use
being grown.

Less space is required for rabbits than for
chickens, and if they are kept in hutches, they
will not occupy ground needed for growing

4 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

crops. Rabbits demand but comparatively.
little care, although they must be kept clean
and fed regularly. At present there is a con-
siderable demand for breeding stock in most
communities, it being possible to sell a suffi-
cient number of breeders to pay all the cost of
raising the rabbit meat consumed on the table.
Indeed, many breeders have only the poorest
specimens left for food, but this situation can-
not be expected to last and the industry must
eventually become established on a meat basis.
Across the water an enormous demand for
rabbit meat has been created by the war. Even
before the war came Great Britain imported
10,000 or 12,000 tons. When the supply from
the continent failed and shipments from
Australia were cut off for lack of ships, the
English people began raising their own rab-
bits and rabbit hutches were to be found in
back yards everywhere. Now the business of
raising rabbits for food seems to have been
established on a permanent basis in England,
as it has been on the continent for many years.
‘The extent to which interest in rabbit keeping
has spread throughout the United States and
Canada may be judged by visiting the shows,

WHY TO RAISE RABBITS 5

where hundreds of animals are entered and
where instruction in preparing them for the
table is given. More advertisements are ap-
pearing in the papers than ever before, more
commercial rabbits are being seen in the
markets and more are served in restaurants
and hotels. The industry has persisted to a
greater degree in California than anywhere
else, but rabbit keeping has become common
everywhere and some large plants have been
established.

In past years immense quantities of rabbit
fur have been imported from Australia by hat
makers and a considerable number of skins
have been brought in by furriers. It has been
difficult to get these people interested in
American offerings because no large amounts
could be purchased in single lots. American
skins are being bought to an increasing extent,
however, and this branch of the business has
much promise. When an amateur rabbit
keeper has only a few pelts he can tan them
and have them made up into furs for his own
family.

All this applies to the utility side of rabbit
keeping, and that is the side which interests

6 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

the average beginner. There is another side,
however, which is called the fancy, that being
rather a poor name for the keeping of rabbits
for pleasure and for exhibition. Fanciers are
much more numerous than ds commonly real-
ized, many professional and business men as
well as working men keeping a few fine an-
imals for recreation and amusement. The
breeds usually kept for utility purposes are
Belgian hares, Giant rabbits of different
kinds and New Zealand Reds. Fanciers, how-
ever, find many other breeds to choose from,
some of them like the Lop Eared Rabbits
and the Angoras requiring very careful
handling. Fanciers naturally charge much
more for their animals, if the stock is good,
than do breeders who confine themselves to
utility rabbits. An animal that can win at a
show is highly prized. Competition at many
of the shows is very keen and the greatest skill
must be exercised to produce winners. It is
a form of recreation in which great delight: is
taken. The breeders of different kinds of rab-
bits have their associations and enjoy getting
together to talk over the ins and outs of the
game.

WHY TO RAISE RABBITS 7

Naturally enough many fanciers also sell
utility rabbits and food animals, especially if
they happen to be breeders of Belgian hares,
Giants or New Zealands. Only a few of all
those raised will: be of the highest type and
some outlet for the culls is needed. It often
happens that breeders who start with utility
stock and no high aspirations eventually be-
come ardent fanciers. This is a fascinating side
of rabbit keeping and is appealing to an in-
creasingly large number of men, especially as
speculators and dishonest breeders are being
curbed and opportunities for redress presented
through the medium of a national association.

Finally there is the keeping of rabbits for
pets by children. Pet rabbits have been pop-
ular with boys from a time which extends
much farther back than the oldest of us can
remember. The rabbits most often seen are
little pink-eyed white creatures which all too
often move along to the rabbit Heaven in a
very short time. If your boy wants to keep
rabbits get him some other kind, for these have
many faults and few virtues. Belgian Hares,
Dutch rabbits, New Zealand Reds, Check-
ered Giants, and Himalayans will be found

8 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

much more satisfactory. Many boys and some
girls are able to make considerable money by
selling rabbits, and there are few animals
which make better pets.

Chapter IT.

A LITTLE RABBIT HISTORY

UCH confusion is encountered when
M we undertake to trace the history of
the Belgian hare, and many of the
other popular breeds. In the first place, the
Belgian hare and the other so-called hares in
captivity are not hares at all, but true rabbits.
Real hares are not easily domesticated, and
would be of little value in any event. The
Belgian hare probably was given that name
because in alert expression and general ap-
pearance it somewhat suggested the wild hare.
The differences between hares and rabbits are
so marked that there is no ground for a mis-
take. Hares are born with their eyes open
and covered with fur. In a very short time
they are running about. Rabbits, on the other
hand, are born blind and naked. They remain
perfectly helpless for some days, and it is sev-
eral weeks before they become active.

9

10 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Probably all the fancy rabbits are descended
from the common wild rabbit (Lepus Cuni-
culus). That this is true seems demonstrated
by the fact, as pointed out by an English
authority, C. J. Davies, that reversion on
crossing is always to the wild color, that all
varieties cross freely and the progeny are fer-
tile together or with either parent, and that
wild rabbits can be reared and crossed with
tame rabbits.

Very ancient history contained mention of
domestic rabbits. They seem to have been
known in China for several] centuries B. C.

Some new breeds have come into being in
a haphazard way, while others have been de-
liberately made. The English fanciers are
responsible for three or four distinct breeds,
some of them produced from native animals,
although there is reason to believe that at least
a little outside blood was introduced in most
cases. The large Lop-eared rabbit is supposed
to be wholly an English creation. The Eng-
lish breeders have been especially concerned
with fancy stock. On the continent, on the
other hand, more attention has been given to
the production of utility rabbits, especially

A LITTLE RABBIT HISTORY 11

those capable of producing high class fur.
The Argent de Champagne is one of the best
examples of what the French have done in this
direction. The fur of this rabbit is of such
excellent quality that large quantities were be-
ing shipped to other countries before the war
broke out. Probably this industry will be
quickly built up again. Certainly rabbits are
having an important place in the rehabilita-
tion of France and Belgium.

While hares seem to stand the very cold
climates, rabbits, as a rule, thrive best in the
warmer countries. Most kinds, though, can
be gradually inured to very cold weather.
Thousands of rabbits have been raised in the
European countries to one in the United States
and Canada. At least this was the case up to
a very few years ago, and until the high price
of meat began to stimulate interest in a source
which promised to help in cutting the high
cost of living. The peoples of Europe have
found meat much less plentiful than those of
this country, and accordingly have been com-
pelled to the cultivation of rabbit keeping on
an extensive scale. It is said that England
uses from twenty-five to thirty million pounds

12 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

of rabbit meat every year. In France, Bel-
gium and Germany, rabbits are eaten every-
where as a matter of course. When English
people talk about rabbits they often use the
old name, coney, which has been applied by
furriers to certain skins.

The origin of some of the fancy rabbits is
fairly well known. The Flemish Giant, for
example, is a native of Belgium or Flanders,
from which place it found its way into other
parts of Europe. Since the organization of
a Flemish Giant club in England, it has been
greatly improved, but the blood of other
breeds has been introduced to some extent,
which accounts for the many different colored
specimens found. Occasionally, with the
newer breeds, new classes must be eStablished
by the standard makers. This has been so in
the case of the Gray Flemish, which will now
be given a separate place.

The exact origin of the Belgian hare has
been the subject of controversy for many
years, and sometimes this controversy has
waxed decidedly warm. That it actually orig-
inated in Belgium nobody can positively say.
Some breeders have gone so far as to claim

A LITTLE RABBIT HISTORY 13

that it came from India. For a while it was
considered necessary in this country to call it
the Belgian hare rabbit, although, of course,
that was a ridiculous mixture of names. The
idea was to have people realize that it was
really a rabbit. It does not owe all of its im-
proved color to English breeders, for much
has been done in this country in the last twenty
years. The original color probably was a
common gray. There is reason to believe that
the Belgian hare and the Flemish Giant are
both descendants of the old Patagonian rabbit,
and the difference in coloring as well as in
size is due solely to the manner in which the
two lines have been handled.

Sometimes the name of a rabbit is a fairly
safe index as to its origin. Thus the Hima-
layan rabbit probably came from the Hima-
laya Mountains. It has long been a popular
rabbit on the continent, being raised largely
for its fur, which when properly cured resem-
bles ermine.

The English rabbit, too, is correctly named.
The popular theory is that it is an outgrowth
of the common English rabbit. It is a very
hard rabbit to breed to perfection, and that

a4 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

probably is one reason why it is so little known
in America. The finest specimens in the coun-
try are being produced by breeders in Massa-
chusetts, New York and New Jersey.

Coming to the breed which it so very much
resembles, the American Spotted Giant, we
find serious difficulty in determining its an-
cestry. It was formerly known as the German
Checkered Giant, but when the world war put
a ban on everything German, its name was
changed by popular approval to American
Spotted Giant. This seems to have been a
perfectly safe thing to do, for there is no good
evidence to show that Germany had anything
to do with its origin. It has been found of
late years that German names have been
tacked to a great many things to which it had
no claim.

Dutch rabbits are better known than many
other kinds, and their name seems to be justi-
fied. At least they have been bred in Holland
for a long time, and have been used there for
meat, although in this country they are con-
sidered strictly a fancy rabbit. Some breeders
use them as nurse does as they are excellent
milkers and mothers.

A LITTLE RABBIT HISTORY 15

Lop-eared rabbits are most commonly con-
sidered as English creations. There is, how-
ever, a French lop-eared rabbit also, but it is
smaller both in body and in the size of its ears.
The English lop-eared rabbit seems to be all
English, and distinctly a manufactured breed.

Angora rabbits came probably from Persia,
where long-haired creatures seem to have been
more common than in most places, the Persian
cat being another example. Angoras are often
used for food in parts of Europe, but in this
country it is difficult to get people to eat them.

In the New Zealand Red, a rabbit the pop-
ularity of which is carrying it all over the
country, we have a puzzle.. The claim is made
that it was introduced from New Zealand
some years ago, a few specimens being taken
to California by sailors. No real verification
of this claim has been made, or seems likely
to be. As no better way of accounting for
the New Zealand Red can be thought of, how-
ever, we may as well consider it to be properly
named. At least, attempts to drop the word,
New Zealand, have been failures. At any
rate, it has taken the Pacific coast almost by
storm.

Chapter III.

THE BEST RABBITS FOR MEAT

HE meat of practically all rabbits is
suitable for food. Yet only a few kinds
can be raised profitably. Moreover,
there is a general disinclination to the use of
the common white rabbits on the table. These
rabbits are said to have flesh which is too
sweet to be very palatable, but in any event,
they are not commonly included among the
utility animals. Europe has rather a long list
of breeds considered to be valuable for food,
but breeders in the United States and Canada
confine themselves chiefly to Belgian hares,
Flemish Giants and New Zealand Reds.
There are various kinds of giant rabbits which
might be used for food if plentiful enough,
but the common Flemish Giant is the one usu-
ally set down as the meat rabbit.
The Belgian hare is by all means the best
known and the most widely raised. It is a

16

THE BEST RABBITS FOR MEAT 17

very prolific rabbit, and the meat is of high
quality. Many breeders, however, prefer the
Flemish Giant because of its large size.
Specimens weighing ten pounds are common,
and occasionally one nearly twice that weight
is found. 'As Belgian hares run only from six
to eight pounds, considerable more meat is
obtained from the Giant. On the other hand,
the meat of these big rabbits is coarser than
that of the smaller Belgian, and the flavor is
not considered quite so good, except, of course,
by breeders of Flemish Giants, who often
claim it to be equal to any other breed known.
Then the Flemish Giant grows more slowly,
not being mature until it is fourteen or fifteen
months old. They make the best eating at
about five months. Judge Chas. L. Gibson
says that the Steel] Gray Flemish Giant is the
most popular rabbit in America today.

For a long time only these two breeds were
offered in the general market. Of late years,
however, a breed known as the New Zealand
Red has won extreme popularity on the Paci-
fic coast, and is rapidly coming into favor
among eastern breeders. This rabbit has some
special merits, and may prove to be the best

18 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

commercial sort yet raised in this country. In
spite of their usefulness it is an admitted fact
that both the Belgian hare and the Flemish
Giant are hearty eaters, and that there is a
large amount of waste when they are dressed
for the table. Many English breeders can-
didly admit these facts, and say that some
other breeds are more profitable. It is
claimed for the New Zealand Red that it con-
sumes less food than even the Belgian, which
because of its smaller size eats much less than
the Flemish Giant.

When dressed for the table, the New Zea-
land Red weighs about two pounds more than
the Belgian, and the meat is just as fine-
grained, palatable and nutritious. In parts of
California the New Zealand Red is about the
only rabbit seen. It is also raised extensively
in the other Pacific coast states, many breeders
having adopted it in place of Igians and
Giants. It seems to be perfectly ‘hardy in any
part of the continent, although just how the
eastern climate will eventually act upon it re-
mains to be seen. Apparently it is a little
more difficult to get large specimens east of
the Rockies than it is on the Pacific coast.

THE BEST RABBITS FOR MEAT 19

Most rabbits are ready for the table when
about four months old. Although Flemish
Giants are slow to mature, they make excellent
friers at the age of three months, but should
be a little older for roasting. Rabbits can be
eaten when only two months old. It is gen-
erally considered that all commercial rabbits
are best for the table if killed before they are
a year old. Nevertheless, rabbits two years
old make very good eating. It is a common
plan when raising rabbits commercially to
keep a doe until the end of her second year,
and then to market her, her place as breeder
being taken by a younger doe. Usually the
bucks are disposed of when young, except for
a particularly good specimen, which is re-
tained for breeding purposes. If rabbits are
being raised for market it is always a good
plan to castrate the young bucks, when they
can be kept together with less fighting. Al-
though two people are required the operation
is easily performed after a little experience
has been acquired.

Breeders are likely to make extravagant
claims for the particular kind of rabbits
which they happen to be raising, but the ama-

20 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

teur can confidently begin with any of the
breeds named. As he goes on, he probably
will do a little experimenting, and may find
that one particular kind will prove more
profitable than any other. There is always
the matter of one’s market to be considered.
In some places very large rabbits may be
wanted, without much regard to quality, while
in others small animals may be in demand.
For home eating the writer’s preference is for
Belgian hares, probably because he has had
more experience with them than with any
other kind. There seems to be some evidence,
though, to support the claim that New Zea-
land Reds are a little easier to raise. Very
much depends upon the strain, whatever breed
may be kept, just as with poultry. Some
breeders are able to produce very much better
stock than others. There has been careless
inbreeding with Belgian hares; and so much
attention has been given to producing show
animals that many strains have low vitality,
and give considerable trouble, except in the
hands of experts. A good many breeders of
New Zealands in the Eastern States find that
they are especially susceptible to colds and

THE BEST RABBITS FOR MEAT 2:3,

snuffles as they are not yet fully acclimated.

Breeding fancy rabbits is quite a different
matter from breeding food rabbits. Fanciers
naturally work for fine points, and favor their
breeding animals. They may not try to raise
more than two or three litters a year, and re-
duce these litters to the best specimens. The
utility breeder, on the contrary, aims to pro-
duce as many animals as he can without draw-
ing too heavily on the vitality of his stock. He
will endeavor to get from four to six litters a
year from each doe, and will expect her to
raise six or seven youngsters. He will keep a
limited number of bucks, say at the rate of one
for each ten does. He will raise some speci-
mens which a fancier would not want seen in
his pens.

The man or woman who is keeping only a
few rabbits for home use will perhaps keep
no buck at all, but will have his or her does
bred at the rabbitry or some neighbor’s who
has a larger stock. It is not economy to keep
a buck which is going to be used only at long
intervals.

Obviously every fancier will have many
rabbits which are not good enough to be used

22 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

for show purposes or to sell for breeding pur-
poses. He therefore has a certain number of
animals to sell for food purposes, unless he is
so devoid of honor as to palm off even his poor
animals as desirable breeders, counting on
the inexperience of beginners to make this
possible.

There is a growing call for strictly utility
animals, but it will pay even the amateur to
keep the best breeding stock that he can get,
providing it is not lacking in size or stamina,
because he is almost certain to find a sale for
well marked animals at a good price.

Yet it is because of their ability to supply a
large amount of food cheaply that rabbits are
being most vigorously exploited. The situa-
tion in England and on the continent, where
meat is scarce, is. reflected here. In Great
Britain the Board of Agriculture has urged
gardeners to raise rabbits for food, to take the
place of beef and mutton. Three pounds of
rabbit, the Board says, with one pound of
bacon, will provide more nitrogenous and
fatty food than four pounds of beef. Rabbit
clubs are being formed in England. A nation-
wide rabbit breeding campaign is being car-

THE BEST RABBITS FOR MEAT 23

ried on, it being realized that rabbits will
meet the need for meat quicker than any other
animals. There are a few places in the United
States where breeding is being done exten-
sively. Two or three years ago a rabbit farm
was started at the Federal Penitentiary in
Leavenworth, Kansas, to furnish meat for the
hospital. About three acres were enclosed and
stocked with a hundred does and a dozen
bucks. There are large rabbit farms in Cali-
fornia and rabbit meat canneries at Los An-
geles and Hutchinson, Kansas.

In order to help eliminate the prejudice
felt by many people against rabbit meat, a
movement has been started to substitute the
word venison and rabbit venison may become
a common dish in restaurants all over the
country. It is more important, though, to
teach the consumer that the meat of the do-
mesticated rabbit is very different from that
of the common wild rabbit, great numbers of
which are to be seen in many city markets in
winter. The meat of domesticated rabbits is
white, resembling the breast of chicken. It is
sweet, fine grained, and the most nutritious
flesh which can be obtained.

Chapter IV.
THE SO-CALLED FANCY RABBITS

HERE are thousands of people who
find their recreation in the raising of
fancy rabbits, meaning by this, rabbits
of the show type. Several important exhibi-
tions are held each year, attended by thou-
sands of people. One of the biggest rabbit
shows is held at Syracuse, N. Y., as a part of
the New York State Fair. I:: 1918 the entries
at this show had increased to a thousand.
Large shows are held in St. Louis, Boston,
Chicago, and other cities, at which time the
animals are judged and fanciers get together
to talk over the merits of their pets.

Then, of course, hundreds of men and wo-
men breed high class rabbits purely for the
pleasure they find in the work, and without
any thought of showing them. It is by no
means true, as is often supposed, that rabbit
fanciers are confined tomen. One of the lead-

24,

air of Young Himalayans

5
vt ah

An English Rabbit

SO-CALLED FANCY RABBITS 25

ing breeders in the eastern states is a woman
who is reported to be a millionaire, and yet
does much of the work of caring for her rab-
bits with her own hands. The list of exhibi-
tion or fancy rabbits includes all the breeds
mentioned among the utility rabbits and many
others in addition.

The Belgian Hare

Although a popular meat rabbit, probably
the Belgian hare is also the favorite among
fanciers, as it has been for many years. Few
handsomer rabbits than well-bred Belgians
can be found. Their long, slender bodies give
them a peculiar racy appearance, and their
mahogany-colored coats, with wide black lac-
ings on the ears and wavy black ticking on
the bodies, and their bright, alert expression
create a tout-ensemble of more than ordinary
beauty. It is difficult actually to describe
the color of the Belgian. It is commonly
stated to be Rufus red, but just what Rufus red
is few people can really say. Perhaps the
term “mahogany” indicates the proper color
as well as any word. The ticking on the back

26 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

differentiates it from any other red rabbit.
Fineness of bone and refinement of contour

are to be found in a worthy Belgian. There
must be nothing coarse or heavy about the
animal. Its head must be long, rather nar-
row, with well set ears about five inches long.
The eye must be bright and sparkling. Some-
one has described the Belgian as having the
same place among rabbits as a race horse
among other equines. The color must extend
to the feet, on which no sign of white should
appear. The standard weight of the Belgian
hare is eight pounds, but many smaller speci-
mens are seen.

Whole books have been devoted to the Bel-
gian hare alone, and anyone who takes this
particular breed with the intention of produc-
ing show specimens should obtain all the lit-
erature on the subject which can be found.

The Giant Class

It may be assumed from its name that the
Flemish Giant is a very large rabbit, in fact,
the largest of all the breeds, ranging in weight
all the way from ten to sixteen pounds.

SO-CALLED FANCY RABBITS 27

Heavier animals are often mentioned, but they
are rare. Large size is the point aimed at
with the Flemish Giant. It enjoys wide pop-
ularity, but is not so handsome a rabbit as the
Belgian hare, although it has much the same
origin. There are several distinct varieties,
each of which has its connoisseurs. The exhi-
bition Flemish Giant is steel-gray. It has
been greatly improved through the work of
fanciers in England and America. The latter
country now produces quite as good animals
as those formerly imported from across the
water. Steel-gray Flemish bucks should not
weigh less than twelve pounds, and does
should weigh at least fourteen, if they are to
be up to the standard. The body is much
chunkier than that of the Belgian, and has a
broad, powerful appearance. They do not
grow so fast as the Belgians and other breeds,
often not maturing until nearly fifteen months
of age. .

The Steel-gray Flemish gets its name from
its color, which is carried all over its head,
ears, body and feet, although as near white as
possible under the belly and tail.

A separate class has been made for the Gray

+

28 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Flemish Giant, which is more nearly brown
than steel-gray. Young animals are slow to
get their true color. Black youngsters may
make fine stock. The Black Flemish Giant
corresponds to the other varieties except as to
color.

There is considerable controversy in the
United States and Canada over the question as
to whether the so-called Black Siberian is a
breed by itself or really a Black Flemish
Giant. There seems to be a growing dispo-
sition to set it down under the latter head, al-
though there are many breeders, especially in
Canada and the central part of the United
States, who are firmly convinced that the
Black Siberian was brought to Canada from
Russia several years ago, which accounts for
its introduction to America. Perhaps the sit-
uation is still too confused for a satisfactory
verdict to be rendered. At any rate, the Black
Siberian and the Black Flemish Giant look
about alike. They must be as free as possible
from white hairs, and sometimes reach four-
teen to fifteen pounds in weight. They seem
likely to become particularly valuable for
their fur. White Giants are little different,

SO-CALLED FANCY RABBITS 29

except that they are pure white with pink eyes.

The American Spotted Giant is rapidly be-
coming a great favorite with fanciers. This
rabbit was formerly known as the German
- Checkered Giant, but soon after the war broke
out, that name was changed, with the approval
of breeders the country over. In some mark-
ings this rabbit resembles the old English
rabbit, but it is much larger. It has the same
butterfly snout, to use the old expression for
the odd black patch on the nose. It should
have a line called the saddle running the
length of the back. There are black circles
around the eyes, the ears are black, and heavy
patches of black are found on the hind quar-
ters in place of the chain markings found on
the English. Although black markings are
most common, there are also Spotted Giants
on which the color of the spots is blue, tortoise
or gray. The standard calls for a weight of
eleven pounds or more for bucks and thirteen
or more for does. The body must be long and
carried well off the ground. Animals of this
breed are not quite so chunky in appearance
as the Flemish Giants, but should have the
same shape of head.

30 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Because of the remarkably handsome ap-
pearance made by the Spotted Giants, they
seem likely to become one of the favorite rab-
bits of America. Considerable emphasis is
being placed on the value of their skins, which
make up into very attractive garments. For
some years, this will doubtless be among the
most profitable breeds to raise because of the
great demand and the high prices being ob-
tained. They must be bred carefully, though,
if good specimens are to be obtained, and
never bred when in the molt. Well marked
specimens are hard to produce but are very
valuable if they are also large in size.

The English Rabbit

The English rabbit which the American
Spotted Giant so much resembles, is a very
old breed, being a common rabbit in England
before there was any well developed rabbit
fancy. It is not to be classed among the
Giants, weighing only about seven pounds
when mature. Its markings are much like
those already described for the American
Spotted Giant, except that it should have a

SO-CALLED FANCY RABBITS 31

well defined herring-bone line along the back.
The spots on the sides are usually smaller and
more widely distributed, forming what is com-
monly called a chain.

The Dutch Rabbit

Some description of the Dutch rabbits is
given in the chapter on “Rabbits as Pets for
Children.” This breed has long had many
admirers, and excellent specimens are being
‘exhibited at all the shows. It is a small rab-
bit, the standard being five pounds and not
over five and a half. The most common vari-
ety is black and white, but there are also blue
and white, tortoise shell and white, and gray
and white. The colors are solid in a good
specimen, there being a perfect line of separa-
tion where the white appears. There is a
white band around the body back of the head
and including the forelegs and feet, the under
jaw and the nose, running to a point between
the ears. There should be about two inches
of white on the feet and hind legs. The
easiest way to make sure of good markings is
to breed from stock that has gone through

32 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING
its second molt without deterioration in color.

The English Lop-eared Rabbit

For years past the lop-eared rabbit has been
especially popular in England. It is bred to
some extent in the United States and Canada,
but requires warmer quarters and more care-
ful attention than most of the other breeds.
The one outstanding feature of this rabbit is
its ears, which are of abnormal length. These
ears are expected to reach twenty-four inches
from the tip of one to the tip of the other, and
often are longer. The width should be a quar-
ter of the total, which would mean six inches
for one ear when the extreme length measure-
ment is two feet. Naturally the ears always
hang at the side of the head. Different dark
colors are found among the lop-ears. No suc-
cess can be expected in breeding these animals
unless they can be kept in heated quarters, and
of course their hutches must be kept abso-
lutely clean and the floor covered with bed-
ding. Otherwise it would be impossible to
keep the ears in proper shape, and no end of
trouble would ensue.

SO-CALLED FANCY RABBITS 33
The Himalayan Rabbit

Although bred to some extent in the United
States and Canada for many years, the Hima-
layan rabbit seems to be winning unusual
favor at the present time. This is not surpris-
ing, for it is among the most attractive of all
breeds which the fancier has to choose from.
Moreover, it becomes quite tame and seems to
enjoy petting. Because of its curious mark-
ings, the Himalayan rabbit always makes a
strong impression upon visitors to the shows.
‘The body coat is pure white, while the ears,
Nose, tail and forefeet are either black or a
deep chocolate color. The coat of this rabbit
is especially soft and fine, giving it a neat, well-
dressed appearance. The eyes are pink, and
the eye-lids often seem stained. This is a de-
fect, but one which seems exceedingly difficult
to eradicate. It is not a large rabbit, not being
expected to weigh over five pounds.

In breeding the Himalayan several points
must be remembered if good specimens are to
be produced. If they are exposed to bright
sunlight, the black hairs, curiously enough,
begin to fade, and the color cannot readily be

34. PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

restored. On the other hand, a little sunlight
seems desirable to make the color strong and
shiny. With all rabbits that have pink eyes,
however, it is necessary to avoid very brilliant
sunlight. When Himalayans are born they
are entirely white, a matter which often puz-
zles amateurs. After a month, however, the
color begins to show, and gradually becomes
stronger until the markings are complete at
four months. It is of particular importance
to keep the youngsters in dimly lighted quar-
ters during the first five or six weeks of their
lifetime.

New Zealand Reds

Any old-time rabbit breeder who has been
out of the fancy for several years and visits a
show today is immediately attracted by the
large classes of New Zealand Reds, a breed of
which he probably knew nothing. The New
Zealand Red, after a highly successful career
on the Pacific coast, has made its way east-
ward and is being taken up with enthusiasm
by fanciers as well as by utility breeders in all
sections. Perhaps its utility points are of
greatest consideration, yet it is a pleasing rab-

SO-CALLED FANCY RABBITS 35

bit to look upon, and certainly it has been won-
derfully improved in the last two or three
years. In size it comes between the Belgian
hare and the Flemish Giant. It is not so
chunky as the latter, but is less racy in appear-
ance than the former. The head should be
considerably fuller than that of the Belgian
hare. This is said to be an important matter,
especially with the buck, a buck with a small
fine head being likely to produce undersized
progeny.

The color should be uniform all over the
body, head and feet. Just exactly what the
standard means when it says reddish buff is
not agreed upon by all breeders, one’s opinion
often being indicative of the kind of stock he
happens to have. In any event it should not
be too light a fawn, and should be as free as
possible from white or black hairs. Reddish
cream is called for as a belly color. Nine and
ten pounds are assigned as the respective
weights of mature bucks and does.

The Polish Rabbit

If all the rabbits commonly called Polish
were really specimens of that breed, the num-

36 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

ber in America would be very large. The fact
is that most of the large white rabbits have no
right to the name. The real Polish is a small
rabbit, weighing not over five pounds, and its
eyes are blood red when young, fading to pink
with age. The coat is fine in quality, silky,
short, and smooth. The ears are short and the
head is fairly lean. Polish rabbits are best
adapted to the cooler parts of the country
because they suffer more than most breeds
from the heat. Moreover their coats are in-
jured if they are exposed to much direct sun-
light. In fact, more than usual attention is
required to keep these rabbits in the pink of
condition, for the coat and especially the feet
are certain to be stained unless the strictest
cleanliness prevails. Sometimes soft bread
crumbs are used to clean the. coat, as they seem
to remove soiled spots more effectively than
anything else. Green stuff must be fed care-
fully, and is best withheld from young rab-
bits because they seem to show a tendency
towards bowel trouble. Probably the Polish
rabbit will never be bred as satisfactorily in
America as in England, but it has many
admirers.

SO-CALLED FANCY RABBITS 37
The Angora Rabbit

Another fancy rabbit which is bred in lim-
ited numbers is the Angora. In the eyes of
many fanciers this is the handsomest of all
rabbits, its long fleecy coat giving it a unique
appearance. Because of this coat, though, it
has no beauty of form to recommend it. Qual-
ity in the Angora lies in the perfection of its
fine white fur. In parts of Europe it is said
that these rabbits are often raised especially
for their fur, which is used for making chil-
dren’s knitted caps and other garments. The
coats vary from five inches to seven inches in
length; sometimes in very fine specimens they
run three or four inches longer.

The Angora rabbit has pink eyes, and fair-
ly good-sized ears, which are tufted. Occa-
sionally colored varieties are seen, blue and
smoke being the most common. Because of
the great difficulty attending the breeding of
the colored Angoras, however, very few fan-
ciers have taken them up. Angoras are not
suitable for pets, or in fact for a fancier who
is not willing to spend considerable time on
them. They must be kept in. roomy hutches

38 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

which are perfectly clean, and have an abun-
dance of bedding. They are not as tender,
though, as some people seem to think, and
will stand plenty of cold if their quarters
are not damp. Fitting them for shows is a
somewhat tedious undertaking unless they are
kept well groomed at all times, which is the
proper plan. While a well cared for Angora
is a remarkably attractive bunch of snow-
white fur, a neglected specimen is an unpleas-
ant looking object. Good Angoras weigh
about nine pounds,

The Silvers

Several varieties are included among the
Silvers, some of them being especially valued
for their fur. The Silver Gray is supposed
to be a straight product of the wild English
rabbit. They have been bred there for a long
time, but it is only of late years that any con-
siderable numbers have appeared in_ this
country. It is a robust, vigorous rabbit, and
while not actually handsome, it is neat and
friendly. They vary in size from four to
seven pounds, smaller specimens being more

SO-CALLED FANCY RABBITS 39

common. It is very difficult to give a com-
prehensive description of the color, except to
say that it is a bluish black through which
white hairs are scattered so as to produce the
silver effect. The feet and tail should match
the body color. The rabbits vary in shading
according to the number of light colored
hairs, so that they may be called light silvers
or dark silvers. The principal point in breed-
ing is to obtain an even distribution of the
silvering all over the body. A good colored
specimen resembles a gray squirrel in color.
Silver Fawns, Silver Blues and Silver
Browns are shown to some extent. All of.
them are crosses from the original Silver
Gray. The Silver Browns seem to have come
from England, and the Silver Fawns from
France. Argent de Champagne, sometimes
called Champagne Silver, is another French
member of this class, and is valued especially
for its fur. It has a deep under color of blue,
and a mixture of black and white hairs. A
considerable representation is now to be found
in America. They make an unusual appear-
ance, and are likely to become popular, espe-
cially if a demand for their fur develops.

40 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

The Blue Imperial

This is an English breed, for which a wo-
man, Miss Mabel Illingworth, stood spon-
sor. Although the color might be called
maltese by some, it produces a decidedly blu-
ish effect. It must be an even color all over
the rabbit. The fur is rather longer than on
most breeds, and is fine and soft. ‘The eyes
are deep blue. This rabbit should weigh
about seven pounds, and be fairly long and
lithe. Blue Imperials are not difficult to raise,
and require no special attention.

The Tans

Still another class for which English breed-
ers must have the credit is the Black and Tan.
About all that can be said as to their origin,
though, is that they are known. to have come
from England. The number in this country is
not large at present. The black Tans were the
first to be introduced; the blues came from
them. All the Tans are easy to raise, and
should weigh from three to four and a half
pounds. They are considered best for show
purposes before the end of the first year.

White Giant and Her Offspring

Chapter V.

RABBITS AS PETS FOR CHILDREN.

OST boys and some girls have a time

M in their young lives when they desire
a pet rabbit above everything else.

If their wish is gratified they are usually given
a common white rabbit. These little pink-eyed
creatures, while pretty enough, are the least de-
sirable of .all rabbits which might be chosen.
They are not especially robust or prolific,
and the does often make poor mothers. Of
course, the true Polish rabbit, which is white
and red-eyed, but considerably smaller than
the rabbits usually seen, is a good kind. Pol-
ish rabbits, however, are not at all common
in America. There are half a dozen breeds,
though, from among which excellent pets can
be chosen. They include two of the breeds
most often kept for utility purposes, that is to

say, the Belgian hares and the New Zealand
Reds.

41

42 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Belgian hares will perhaps make the
strongest appeal because of the fact that they
are cheapest. They are cheap, however, not
because of any inferiority, but because they
are more plentiful than the other kinds. Bel-
gian hares are among the keenest, most alert,
and most interesting of all tame rabbits. They
are very handsome, too, if well marked, and
the boy who is interested in rabbits should
be given as good specimens as possible. He
will soon learn to know a good Belgian from
a poor one, and will not be satisfied with an
animal which has white feet and a gray coat.

The New Zealand rabbit is larger than the
Belgian, and is the largest breed adapted for
children’s pets. Of course boys often raise
Flemish Giants, and other rabbits of that
class, but on the whole the smaller breeds are
to be recommended. In some parts of the
country New Zealand Reds will be found
even more plentiful than Belgian hares. They
are especially hardy, and their sleek red coats
are much admired.

For real pets, though, the Dutch rabbits
cannot be surpassed. They are not very large,
weighing only three or four pounds. They are

RABBITS AS PETS 43

marked in a very peculiar way, being black,
blue or gray, except for a white band which
extends entirely around the body just back of
the head. This white band extends to the
neck and down the front paws. A white patch
on the nose adds to the distinctive appearance
of this little rabbit. This breed is especially
to be recommended because does and bucks
alike are robust and lively. The does make
exceedingly good mothers, and are often used
to care for the neglected offspring of less
faithful mothers. They are prolific, too, so
that it is easy to increase one’s stock rapidly,
and the youngsters are readily raised. Being
very tame and playful, the Dutch rabbits are
perhaps the best pets which can be given to
young children.

Next in value for this purpose I would
name the curiously marked Himalayan rab-
bit, which is often seen at the shows, and in-
variably appeals to boys and girls alike, if
they have any fondness for animal pets. They
are but little larger than the Dutch rabbits,
running from three to five pounds, and they
have short, soft fur which is sometimes called
mock-ermine. Although the body is white,

44 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

the ears, nose, feet and tail are so brown as
to be almost black. The eyes are pink, and
very bright. It is an interesting fact, and one
that may puzzle youthful owners of Hima-
layans, that when born they have no dark
markings at all, being white all over. By the
time the youngsters are three or four weeks
old, small colored spots will appear on the
nose and in a few weeks more the real Hima-
layan characteristics will be in evidence. Be-
cause of its playfulness, its unusual appearance
and its vigor, the Himalayan rabbit is a most
desirable pet.

Rabbits that are kept for pets do not need
elaborate hutches, and many a boy has fash-
ioned a satisfactory home for his pets from a
drygoods box. One important point, though,
must be remembered. The hutch must be
kept dry and clean. Otherwise it is impossi-
ble to be successful in maintaining the health
of the animals. Over-feeding is another point
to be avoided. Children always like to see
their rabbits eat, and are tempted to give them
more food than they ought to have. This ap-
plies especially to young rabbits which soon
become pot-bellied if overfed, and particu-

RABBITS AS PETS 45

larly if given green food. Other troubles are
likely to follow, and the venture in rabbit
keeping prove disastrous.

It often happens that children are enthu-
siastic when they begin keeping rabbits, but
after a few weeks find the work of keeping
them fed, watered and otherwise cared for
becoming monotonous. Wise parents will not
allow their children to own any animal longer
than they are willing to give it the attention
which it needs,

Chapter VI.
HOW TO BEGIN RABBIT KEEPING

ROBABLY it goes without saying that
the only proper way to begin rabbit
keeping is in a small way. To start in

with a large number of animals before one
has learned to care for them properly is to in-
vite prompt disaster. It is true that there is
nothing very complicated or difficult about
rabbit keeping, but what there is to learn
should be learned thoroughly before one gets
too deeply into the business. It is important,
too, that the beginner investigate the various
breeds before he makes a start. Otherwise he
may find a little later that he prefers a dif-
ferent breed from the one which he has
chosen. Then it will be necessary to begin
all over again. In making a selection one
must consider the market to be supplied or
the purpose for which the animals are to be
raised. It makes a difference whether one

46

HOW TO BEGIN 47

wants rabbits for pets, rabbits for meat, rab-
bits for fur, or rabbits for exhibition. Some-
thing depends, too, upon the part of the coun-
try in which one lives.

Perhaps it is better for the average begin-
ner to start with one of the medium sized
breeds, like the Belgian hare or the New Zea-
land Red, rather than with the Giants. These
are good utility rabbits, and yet show stock
can readily be built up if one starts with well
bred animals. In the east the Belgian hare is
more likely to be chosen, while on the Pacific
coast New Zealand Reds have the preference.
It is better to obtain some skill by handling
these rabbits for a year or two before starting
in with purely exhibition breeds. Certainly
no one should start rabbit keeping by buying
either English or French lop-ears.

The number of rabbits to start with will
depend somewhat upon the size of one’s purse
and the amount of room available. Perhaps
the simplest plan is to start with a doe which
has been bred to a young buck. By all means
buy a young animal, even though you have to
pay a little more. It isn’t necessary to keep a
buck at any time, for you can always have your

48 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

does bred to a good buck owned by a more ex-
tensive breeder for a small fee. It is much
better in the long run to adopt this practice,
providing you can secure the service of a high
grade buck, rather than to use a poor buck in
your own hutches. It hardly pays to purchase
an expensive buck simply for breeding pur-
poses, if you have only a few does. By the
time you have increased your stock to six or
eight breeding does, you will be justified in
buying the best buck that you can afford. Of
course this is speaking only in a general way.
You may be so situated that it will be neces-
sary for you to have a buck at the beginning,
although there is usually no difficulty about
purchasing a bred ‘doe.

The amount to pay is a question which can-
not be readily decided for you. The follow-
ing are the prices quoted in the circular of
one of the largest and best known breeders in
the eastern states:

Belgian Hares, young stock, eight to sixteen
weeks old, bred from prize-winning bucks
and good does; price per pair, $3.50; per trio,
$5.25. Young stock of the highest quality,
bred from registered bucks and does; many

HOW TO BEGIN 49

of them are fit for show purposes; prices per
pair, $5.50; per trio, $8.00.

Heavyweight Belgians which combine size
with good color, young stock, eight to four-
teen weeks old, price per pair, $4.00; per trio,
$6.00.

White Flemish Giants, good size and true
Flemish type; price per pair $5.00; per trio,
$7.50.

Black Giants, young, eight to sixteen weeks
old; price per pair, $5.00; per trio, $7.50.

Light Gray Flemish, first-class young, eight
to sixteen weeks old, at $4.00 per pair; $6.00
per trio. Highest quality stock from winners,
$6.00 per pair.

New Zealand Reds, young stock, eight to
sixteen weeks old; price per pair, $5.00; per
trio, $7.50.

Giant Crosses are ideal for table purposes,
and sell readily anywhere. They are crosses
between Black Giants and White Giants, New
Zealand Reds and White Giants, Heavy-
weight Belgians and White Giants. Young,
eight to sixteen weeks old. Price per pair,
$3.00; per trio, $4.50.

Giant Crossed Does, heavy in young; these

50 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

does were bred from heavyweight bucks and
good utility does. They are now mated to
large, pure-bred bucks, and will soon produce
their litters. Price each, $3.75 to $6.50.

Blue Imperials, exceptional color and good
pelts. Price for young stock, eight to sixteen
weeks old, fit for any show room, $17.50 per
pair. Extra does, $10.00 each.

Himalayans, young, bred from winners;
price per pair, $7.50; per trio, $11.00.

Good English, bred from winners; price
per pair, $8.00.

Angoras, young, in black, white, orange,
blue, and broken colors at $3.00 to $10.00 per
pair.

These are the lowest prices at which good
stock is offered. In many cases the beginner
should expect to pay rather more.

There is one thing to avoid above all else.
You will find many alluring advertisements
even in reputable magazines and papers, lead-
ing you to believe that you can make a fortune
in a few weeks by buying rabbits from the
firms inserting the advertisements, and selling
back to them the stock which you raise. In
the rabbit industry, as in all lines of business,

HOW TO BEGIN 51

there are fakers and frauds aplenty. This does
not mean that every concern advertising to
buy back stock is conducting a campaign of
misrepresentation, or is not honest. You may
be sure, though, that any concern making ex-
aggerated claims is not above: suspicion.

If you can see your stock before you buy it,
that will be a great advantage. Perhaps, how-
ever, you are not familiar enough with the
breeds to know a good from a bad specimen.
In that event it certainly will pay you to get
an experienced rabbit breeder to go with you,
even if you have to reimburse him for his
time. At any rate, buy from a breeder who
is a member of the National Breeders’ and
Fanciers’ Association, for then you have a
chance of obtaining redress if the stock is mis-
represented. In every section of the country
there is a representative of this association to
whom you can appeal if you think you have
been wronged. (See appendix.) There are
plenty of good, reliable dealers from whom
you can be safe in buying. Many of them
have their best stock registered. Buy reg-
istered stock when purchasing high priced
specimens.

s2 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

If you order your rabbits by mail, examine
them at the express office before signing for
them. First of all, look at the inside of the
feet to see if the hair appears wet and rough.
If you find such a condition, ship the rabbits
back at once. The trouble may be only a
slight cold, but on the other hand, it may be
incipient snuffles, which no one wants to get
into his rabbitry. No end of beginners have
been disgusted after a few weeks because they
have started with stock in this condition.

It is well to examine the interior of the ears.
Unless they are clean inside, you may expect
canker. If you find the rabbit shaking its
head frequently, and pawing at its ears, you
may safely infer that something is wrong. It
is barely possible that the rabbits may have
lice, although they are not often found. It
will be well to turn back the fur to look for
vermin, in any event. They sometimes occur
when rabbits are kept in filthy quarters or ad-
jacent to a hen house. It is also advisable to
examine the reproductive organs for signs of
disease there.

A good healthy rabbit has a lively, alert
appearance, with a bright eye, the white of

HOW TO BEGIN 53

which has no tinge of yellow. The body
should not be pot-bellied, but lean and firm.
Of course rabbits that are very thin are likely
to be in poor condition. If the dung is firm
and in round balls you can assume that the
digestion is good.

You may need the assistance of an experi-
enced breeder to determine the good or bad
points of a rabbit which you are buying, and
such a precaution should be taken if you are
paying more than a nominal price. You your-
self, however, can judge of the rabbit’s condi-
tion if you bear in mind the points just dis-
cussed.

One very important matter is to be sure of
the sex. Parhaps no more trouble has been
experienced in buying rabbits than by having
the animal you bought for a buck turn out to
be a doe, or vice versa. This is a matter where
many breeders who are selling stock err.
Some of them, without doubt, sell a buck for
a doe, trusting that the buyer will not discover
the mistake until so much time has elapsed
that he will not feel like making a complaint.
It is a simple matter to determine the sex -of
an animal after it is a few weeks old. Turn

54 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

the rabbit on its back on your knees and press
gently on the parts with the thumb and fore-
finger. After one or two trials you will be
able to determine at a glance between the doe
and the buck. When rabbits are mature, ex-
perienced breeders can often tell them apart
by their general appearance, but the novice
will have difficulty in doing so, and even old
breeders must resort to a physical examination
to tell the sex of young stock.

With this simple exposition of the import-
ant matters to be borne in mind when buying
stock, the prospective rabbit keeper will be
able to make at least an intelligent start.

Chapter VII.
HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS

T is quite possible to keep rabbits in yards
out of doors, and when the Belgian hare
boom was at its height some years ago,

many of the leading breeders constructed
houses with yards attached, very similar to
poultry houses. As a rule, though, rabbit
keepers now-a-days confine their animals to
hutches. Of course it is a simple matter to
make a hutch from a dry-goods box or to
make a series of hutches by the use of second
hand lumber or perhaps boxes from the gro-
cery store. The hutches may be very inex-
pensive and yet perfectly satisfactory. In
England where many wealthy men and wo-
men are included among the rabbit fanciers,
some elaborate houses are to be found. In
some houses mahogany doors and ornamental
latches or door fasteners are common enough. |
Perhaps it goes without saying, however, that
the animals to be found in these pretentious

55

56 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

rabbitries are seldom superior to those kept
in much more modest quarters and owned by
breeders having more skill than money..

The most important point in connection
with any hutch or house is that it should be
absolutely dry and free from drafts. It should
be reasonably roomy, too, because rabbits suf-
fer if confined to very narrow limits. Of
course much depends upon the breed. It is
not necessary to have as large hutches for rab-
bits like the Himalayans and the Polish as for
Belgian hares and New Zealand Reds, while
Flemish Giants need larger hutches than any
of the breeds mentioned. It is sometimes
thought by fanciers that there is an advantage
in having small hutches when smaller rabbits
are being raised for exhibition purposes on
the assumption that the rabbits will not grow
large because they have so little room to move
around in. The fact is, though, that exercise
is of quite as much importance, because with-
out it the animals are likely to get fat and
logy instead of measuring up to their true
type. The mistake is often made of having
hutches too low, especially when fancy rabbits
are being bred. The result is that the animals

|

wre
\
&

i
ie

Well-arranged Commercial Rabbitry

HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS 57

acquire a hunched-up appearance instead of
the graceful, free habit of movement which

comes from being able to stand erect or climb
up the wire front of the pen.

FIG. 1.
After careful study of many types of hut-

ches in use in America and across the water,
David E. Lantz, of the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture, has presented the accom-
panying designs for the consideration of prac-
tical rabbit keepers. For ordinary purposes
the hutches which he recommends can hardly
be improved upon. In his bulletin describing
the hutches Mr. Lantz deals chiefly with Bel-
gian hares, but the hutches are adaptable to
any breed, except that their size may be varied
as desired. Mr. Lantz describes his hutches
in the following words:

58 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

“A convenient indoor hutch (fig. 1) is one
6 by 2 by 2 feet, with a movable partition
dividing off a third of the space at one end
for a nest and sleeping chamber. The parti-
tion has a smooth hole to permit passage of
the animals from one part to the other. The
front of the hutch has two doors, one of wire
netting, the other of wood. The wooden door
opens to the sleeping chamber and should

oS
ee

x
ROR

OX
CKO
SOO

0,00.9-9 ag

KX
K

FIG. 2.
close tightly. It is best to use metal hinges
for the doors. The partition may slide in a
groove between the doors or may be put in
and taken out through one of the door open-
ings.

HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS 59

“Outdoor hutches should have sloping roofs
and overhanging eaves to protect them from
rain. The screened door should have a slid-
ing cover of wood or be fitted with a remov-
able cloth cover. Small holes bored near the
top of the hutch will afford all necessary
ventilation.

“Movable hutches (fig. 2) have some ad-
vantages. They may be carried outdoors in
fine weather and taken back under shelter at
night or during storms. Long, narrow cleats
projecting at both ends of the hutch are all
that are needed to convert the ordinary hutch
into a movable one. Two forms of outdoor
hutch sometimes used are shown in figures 3
and 4. That in figure 3 has no floor except a

wire screen, permitting the rabbits to eat grass
or other herbage that projects through the
netting.”

When the rabbits are to be in small quar-
ters, it is a customary plan to stack the hutches,

60 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

making three tiers. This plan saves labor as
well as space, yet it has its disadvantages. The
fundamental essential in the rearing of rabbits
is cleanliness, and it is more difficult to attain
complete sanitation when the hutches are
stacked than when each hutch stands by itself.
A method which has been adopted by some

FIG. 4.
successful breeders is to have each hutch con-

structed with a sloping roof, a block being so
placed as to elevate the floors of the upper
hutches to the proper height. Then the liq-
uids coming through the floors of the hutches
are drained away instead of soaking through
into the hutch beneath. It is desirable to have
the roof of each hutch covered with heavy
roofing paper, or better still, with tin.
So-called self-cleaning hutches are often

HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS 6%

Ha \es
\ EE eee | AN
te rae =
SF

FIG. 5.

62 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

recommended, and are used to a considerable
extent, especially on the Pacific coast, and in
other warm sections where large out-door
rabbitries are common. ‘These hutches have
floors made of narrow boards spaced about an
inch apart, or floors of closely woven wire
netting or hardward “cloth. A good heavy
cloth is needed as a matter of course, and must
be well supported so that it will not sag.
Sometimes a few loose boards are laid on it.
Very little bedding is used in such a hutch, and
the droppings fall through, being gathered up
from the ground or from a box underneath.
In some rather elaborate hutches (see fig. 5)
including one or two patented designs, draw-
ers are arranged under the wire floor to re-
ceive the droppings. Of course this plan
makes cleaning very easy. Even with such an
arrangement, though, it is advisable to have
a scraper and a brush for getting into corners.

The average rabbit keeper, especially the
amateur, is satisfied with a tight floor covered
with sawdust or some other absorbent. It is
best, of course, to have the floor made of
matched boards, and with as few cracks as pos-
sible. Many times a box about eighteen inches

HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS 63

square and three inches high, filled with saw-
dust and placed in a corner of the hutch, will
serve a very useful purpose, and one which
the rabbits soon recognize. Then the drop-
pings are mostly found in this box, and clean-
ing is greatly facilitated. Some rabbit keepers
simply smear a corner of the hutch with a
little of the dung, with the result that that
corner is usually resorted to by the rabbits
with the same result as when a box is used.
The other fittings of the hutch, however it
is constructed, must include a nest box, unless
the apartment is to be given over wholly to the
use of the bucks or young animals. In the
hutch described by the Government agent, the
nest box is arranged for in the general design.
Oftentimes, though, it consists simply of a
smaller box placed in a corner of the hutch.
This box should be about eighteen inches
square and about a foot high. Of course the
size will depend somewhat upon the breed of
rabbits which are to use it. The box should
have no top, but should be inverted on the
floor of the hutch. At one end an opening
large enough to admit the doe should be made,
but this opening should be placed if possible

| 64 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

away from strong light. Oftentimes a few
holes are bored in the side of the box near the
top to allow for additional ventilation when
the weather is very warm. A nest box of this
kind is easily removed for cleaning and costs
practically nothing. Some commercial rabbit
breeders prefer to have a permanent nest box
in one corner with a secondary door in the
outside wall of the hutch so that the nest can
be examined from without. This plan makes
it an easy matter to remove surplus youngsters
or rabbits that were born dead, the work being
done without the knowledge of the doe if the
time is chosen when she is feeding outside the
nest box. It is well to have the entrance open-
ing three inches from the floor, so that the new
born rabbits will not roll out. The doe will
jump on the box to escape from her offspring.

There are several ways of arranging for the
easy cleaning of an improvised hutch. One
plan is to have double wire doors. Another
and less expensive method calls for a wire cov-
ered frame which fits tightly against the front
of the box and contains a small door. When
the hutch is to be cleaned the entire front can
be taken off. Another way is to -have a board

HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS 65

about six inches high placed across the front
of the hutch and resting on the floor,
held in place with a button or a hook at each
end. The rest of the space may be covered
with wire. At cleaning time this board may
be removed and a scraper used to pull out the
litter. This plan economizes work when a
wheelbarrow or cart or perhaps a litter carrier
on a track is used to remove the rubbish and
offal.

If a rabbit raiser is to keep his animals in
the open air all the year round, he will need
some kind of roof or shelter which will pro-
ject a foot or more over the front of the hutch:
or stack of hutches to exclude both rain and
a certain amount of direct sunshine. There is
no better disinfectant than sunlight, and most
rabbits like to bask in it. At the same time,
it is exceedingly injurious in mid-summer
when the weather is very hot. Moreover, ex-
posure to direct sunlight for any length of
time fades the coats of several breeds, like the
Himalayans, the Imperials and the Tans.
Many breeders contend that the coats of Bel-
gian hares are damaged by sunlight, but this
claim is often carried much too far. No doubt

66 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

an excess of direct sunshine impairs the lustre
of the coat, and perhaps causes it to appear
somewhat rusty. This result will not follow,
though, unless the rabbits are kept in the
bright sunlight for many hours at a time. It
is not wise to keep Belgian hares in semi-dark-
ness, as some breeders have been taught to do.
Even though their coats may be benefited
slightly from this treatment, which is a doubt-
ful matter, their health is pretty certain to
suffer out of all proportion to the advantage
gained.

It may be advisable in northern parts of the
country and in Canada to have some kind of
shed or other building for housing the rabbits
in mid-winter. At the same time, this is not
necessary, and it is better, as a matter of fact,
to have the animals in outside hutches than to
keep them in any building which is damp and
gloomy. When outside quarters are to be
adopted, the rabbit keeper must provide an
extra amount of straw or hay for the rabbits
to burrow in. It will be for the comfort of the
little animals, too, to construct a board shutter
to be placed at the front of the hutch at night,
a small opening at the top providing ventila-

HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS 67

tion. In lieu of such a shutter, canvas, oiled
muslin, or even heavy burlap may be used,
ventilating openings being bored at the ends
of each hutch. Some breeders use no front
covers, even in very cold months.

Now that rabbit breeding has come to be
a recognized commercial industry, more at-
tention is being given to the construction of
rabbit houses. Several leading breeders have.
long buildings with a series of alleys running.
through them, and with two tiers of hutches:
opening upon each alley. These buildings are
arranged in such a way as to economize time
and labor, and it becomes possible for one
man to care for five or six hundred rabbits.
On the Pacific coast, some of the rabbitries:
have open sides all around, but are covered
with a broad roof to exclude the rain and hot
sun. The hutches, usually of the self-cleaning
type, are arranged in long rows under this
roof, usually back to back so as to face on
parallel alleys. Rabbit keeping in the warmer
parts of the country has some advantages, yet
the long rainy season is quite as hard for the
animals to endure as the kind of winter
weather to be found in the east and north.

68 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Amateurs with only a few rabbits can often
give them more room than the commercial
grower. It is an excellent plan to have an out-
side run in connection with a hutch. This
may be made of wire netting mounted on legs,
or it may rest on the ground. Even in the
latter case it should have a floor either of
boards or wire. Too much emphasis cannot
be placed upon the necessity of having such
a run or in fact any kind of outside hutch
made very strong. Otherwise the rabbit
keeper is likely to have his stock wiped out by
the depredations of dogs. Dogs sometimes
get wildly excited at the sight of a rabbit, even
in a pen, and will go through an ordinary wire
front. Even when it is impossible for a dog
to reach the inmates of the hutch, the latter
may be badly injured by fright. A doe with
young in the nest may pull them out, and de-
stroy them in her terror. Or in the case of a
bred doe, a premature birth may be brought
about. Dogs often become a serious menace
to the rabbit keeper, and must be taken into
account when a rabbitry is being planned. It
is advisable to cover hutches with wire of a
close enough mesh to exclude rats and mice,

HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS 69

which are likely to gather wherever grain is
to be found.

In some parts of Europe what is called the.
Morant system is followed. Many French
rabbit keepers think this is the ideal way for
raising their animals during the warmer
months. The hutches are light enough so that
they can easily be moved, and they have raised
nests so that the rabbits can feed beneath them.
These hutches have no floors, but are placed.
on the grass and moved from day to day. The
simplest way is to have projecting handles,
although French fanciers simply use broad
hooks to which bars are attached when the
hutches are to be moved.

Of course hutches of this kind must be very
strong or they will soon fall to pieces under
the constant lifting about which must be given
them, as well as their exposure to the weather.
They must be made firmly enough, too, so that
they can resist the inroads of dogs, cats, and
in rural districts, of foxes and other wild ani-
mals. Moreover, a considerable amount of
grass land is necessary because the same area.
should not be fed over more than twice each
season. Otherwise there is danger of getting:

70 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

the animals infected with internal parasites,
known as Coccidiosis, which are induced by
‘unsanitary conditions, and especially by keep-
ing rabbits on fouled ground.

While the Morant system, therefore, would
seem at first thought to be an ideal one, be-
cause of the saving in food affected, as well
as by the saving in time and labor, it is not
satisfactory enough, all things considered, to
‘cause its general adoption. The hutch de-
scribed by Mr. Lantz, and illustrated in fig-
ure 3, is designed for grass feeding, and is a
good type for American conditions. Even
though the Morant system, which gets its
name, by the way, from its French originator,
may not be adapted for general use, it may be
employed to some extent, a few hutches being
used for individual animals or for young stock
above the age of three months.

The question is often asked why rabbits
cannot be kept in large enclosures having tight
‘wire fences. This plan was tried out more or
less extensively at the time of the Belgian hare
boom already mentioned. It was thought then
that by fencing in several acres, the rabbits
could be turned loose and allowed to multiply

HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS 7r

without let or hindrance, the expectation be-
ing that in a few years a very large number
would have been accumulated at almost no
expense for feeding or care. This alluring
proposition invariably failed to work out ac-
cording to specifications. Belgian hares and
all the other domesticated rabbits, being made
breeds, are not adapted to even a semi-wild
life. If turned out into the woods or fields to
shift for themselves entirely, they are soon
entirely exterminated. Like cows or sheep or
any other of the farmer’s livestock, they need
man’s protection and care.

It is possible, though, to keep animals in a
small yard or court if the number is not too
large. A paved court, or one with a board
floor, can be handled in much the same way as
a hutch, except on a larger scale, and will
accommodate a considerable number of young
animals. Wire netting may also be used to
cover the bottom of an enclosed yard. It is
an advantage to have it an inch or two under
the surface. The rabbits will try to dig
through this, but after one or two attempts
will give up. Unless prevented by some kind
of a barrier, the rabbits will dig holes all

72 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

through the ground, and some of these holes
will very likely lead to a point outside the
fence and upward to liberty. Unless such a
yard is connected with an inside hutch, there
should be boxes into which the animals can
retreat when alarmed.

A rabbit fence must be firmly made of
heavy poultry netting five or six feet wide.
One-inch mesh is best. If such yards can be
used for one season and then shifted, this plan
may be followed successfully in rearing rab-
bits out of doors. There is always danger,
though, that the ground will become foul and
the difficulty already mentioned creep in, with
very serious results. Moreover, much more
space must be used for a limited number of
rabbits than when the hutch system is adopted.
For that reason, therefore, most rabbit'keepers
now confine all their stock to hutches, except
for adjoining runways.

Some of them have special hutches for
young stock, making them long and rather
narrow. ‘This is rather a good plan, for it
gives the youngsters a chance to exercise
freely. It must not be supposed from this,
though, that a large number of young rabbits

yoNFT JOOp-jnGQ Jwatusauoy jo sdAT

4
bial
a,

HOUSES, HUTCHES AND YARDS 73

can safely be put together. It is best not to
house more than six or eight in one hutch,
especially if high bred stock is being kept. It
doesn’t matter so much with young animals
that are simply being raised to the meat age,
because they are to be slaughtered, although,
as with chickens, there is likely to be one ani-
mal which will be stronger and bolder than
the others and get more than his share of the
food.

Chapter VIII.

THE GENERAL CARE OF RABBITS

T is of the greatest importance to keep the
| rabbits free from dampness and drafts.
Every poultry keeper knows that he is
certain to have trouble with his hens if he
houses them in damp, drafty quarters. It is
the same with rabbits, whatever the breed may
be. Like poultry, most breeds can endure a
low temperature, providing the air is dry and
enters the house only at the front or through
special ventilating devices. It is much better
to have the animals in an open hutch out of
doors, with a plentiful supply of hay or straw
to burrow in than in a shed or other building
where the sun-does not enter, and a feeling of
dampness prevails. At the same time, a cer-
tain amount of shelter is desirable. Various
arrangements of hutches to make this possible,
where there is no special rabbit house, will be
described in a succeeding chapter.

74

GENERAL CARE OF RABBITS 75

The hutch must be kept perfectly clean, for
sanitation is the price of success in rearing
rabbits. Different devices to make cleaning
easy are on the market and can be purchased
at a low price. It is not difficult to make a
short-handled hoe, or scraper, at home, and a
long-handled stove shovel will be found use-
ful, especially for getting into the corners and
for handling sawdust. It is a good plan to
have a fibre or tin pail to carry away the drop-
pings and litter, or to use a box mounted on
wheels. The latter plan is a good one when
one has a considerable number of hutches to
be cared for. A box on a small wheelbarrow
can also be used to advantage. Some sort of
deodorizer or disinfectant should be kept on
hand for use in the house and in the hutches.
Every hutch should be carefully cleaned and
disinfected before a new rabbit is put into it.

Breeders differ as to the kind of absorbent
to be used, or whether to use any at all. With
self-cleaning hutches they are not needed.
Dried peat, if it can be obtained, is especially
good. A preparation of this kind for use in
poultry houses is on the market, and will be
found equally useful by the rabbit keeper.

76 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Sawdust is used by many breeders, and is a
good material, providing it is not from oak
trees. Oak sawdust like oak shavings is not
desirable.

While sunlight is desirable for sanitary rea-
sons, all rabbits suffer intensely from the
heat, and their hutches should be so arranged
that they will be sheltered in the middle of
the day. Sometimes this is accomplished by
having projecting eaves at the front. Such an
arrangement also prevents the rain beating in
when the hutches are out of doors.

While out-door rabbit keeping has much in
its favor, one must always guard against the
inroads of dogs. With rabbits as with sheep,
there seems to be something which arouses the
lust for killing in many canines, regardless of
breed. All over the country there are rabbit
keepers who can testify to serious losses from
dogs which have broken into the rabbitry and
gone right through wire doors in order to at-
tack the terrified and helpless inmates. The .
writer knows what it is to have valuable an-
imals destroyed in this way, and feels it neces-
sary to give this warning.

There seems to be a common belief among

GENERAL CARE OF RABBITS 77

boys that the right way to lift a, rabbit is to
grab it by the ears. This is wholly wrong, as
every rabbit keeper of experience knows.
Many times lop ears are produced as a result
of such rough handling, and a lop ear spoils
an otherwise good specimen. Moreover,
handling by the ears causes the rabbit pain,
and is a most cruel practice. There is one
right way to lift and carry a rabbit, and one
which all youthful rabbit keepers should be
taught at the beginning. Just behind the
shoulders there is a bunch of loose skin which
can be readily grasped by the hand, in much
the same way as an old cat takes her kitten in
her mouth by the scruff of the neck. It does not
injure or hurt a young rabbit to lift it in this
way. Quite often a rabbit breeder following
this practice will also close his fingers around
the ears so that a superficial observer might
think that the weight of the rabbit was carried
by the ears. When a rabbit is heavy it is best
to use two hands, one holding the animal in
the way mentioned, while the other is placed
under the hind quarters and allowed to carry
most of the weight. As a rule rabbits dislike
to be handled. Sometimes they will struggle

78 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

fiercely, but can be controlled if held by two
hands as described. It is always advisable to
watch out for the-hind feet, for the toenails
are likely to be sharp, and rabbits have sur-
prising strength in their hind legs, as every-
one realizes who has heard them stamp on a
board floor when startled or excited. The re-
sounding thump which they give the boards
can be heard a long way.

Rabbits are capable of fighting viciously
and of doing each other much injury. It is
unsafe to keep bucks together, unless they have
been castrated, after they are three or four
months old. Sometimes a number of bucks
which have been brought up together have got
along peaceably, but usually there is much
fighting. Two old bucks must never be al-
lowed to get together under any circum-
stances. Sometimes they will disfigure one
another by fighting through the wires of pens
which are close together. It may even happen
that a doe which has been placed with one
buck will be maltreated if put with another
buck because of the odor which she carries.

It is very important to avoid handling
young rabbits before they leave their nests, and

GENERAL CARE OF RABBITS _ 79

even for some weeks afterwards. It is a good
plan to rub your hands over the fur of the
mother before handling very young rabbits.

It is wise to watch out for mice, which often
get into a rabbitry looking for grain. Not
only do they cause a loss by eating this grain,
but they are likely to disturb the does so that
they will neglect their young.

Chapter IX.

WHAT AND HOW TO FEED

(44 HAT shall we feed our rabbits?”
That is one of the first questions
asked by the beginner, but even

the most experienced rabbit keepers disagree
as to the answer. Some rabbit keepers will
tell you that dandelions and plantains are ex-
ceedingly injurious, but that cabbage is an
ideal green food. Others will decree that plan-
tains and dandelions constitute an excellent
green ration for rabbits, but that cabbages
should be fed most sparingly. One writer as-
serts positively that green food which is wet
is to be shunned with the greatest care. An-
other states that no harm at all is done in feed-
ing green food wet. These are only a few of
the various contradictory statements which
will puzzle the novice when he comes to in-
vestigate the matter of providing suitable
rations for his stock.

80

WHAT AND HOW TO FEED 81

After all, though, common sense must gov-
ern the feeding of rabbits, as of all stock.
Something depends upon the feeding habits
which the rabbits in any section of the country
have developed. Young animals that have
been kept closely confined all winter and given
very little green food are likely to suffer if
allowed an unlimited quantity of wet grass
or other green stuff in the spring. If they are
gradually introduced to garden produce, it
will soon have no injurious effect whether fed
wet or dry. Rabbits that have their liberty in
yards, likewise wild rabbits and hares feed on
wet grass or vegetables with impunity.

The trouble ascribed to feeding wet grains
most commonly is actually caused by allowing
the grains to become moldy. Even grass that
is gathered when wet will heat if allowed to
stand only a few hours and become unfit for
food. Cabbage leaves, dandelions, celery tops
and any other food stuff of this kind thrown
into a corner of the rabbitry and left uncon-
sumed will soon reach a condition which
makes it injurious for feeding. With this fact
in mind, the amateur will know about how to
utilize the green stuff from his garden or

82 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

lawn, which properly husbanded will reduce
the cost of feeding his animals during the sum-
mer months to a very small amount. If more
grass or clover is gathered than can be eaten
up at once, it should be spread on a wire rack
so that it will cure without molding or sweat-
ing. Then it can be used with perfect safety;
It is best to feed a variety when using green
stuff rather than to depend wholly upon any
one article like dandelions, for example, cab-
bages, or beet tops.

Some rabbit keepers lay great stress upon
the value of cabbages, especially in the winter,
although others, as has been stated, condemn
its use at any time. Certain it is that cabbages
often constitute the only green food that many
rabbits get during the winter months, because
cabbages can be kept for a long time if prop-
erly stored. It may be said in this connection,
though, that the cabbages should not be al-
lowed to freeze if they are to be fed to rabbits.
They should be kept in a cool place so that
they will not decay, but in a place that is above
the freezing point. If any of the outside
leaves are beginning to decay, they should be
carefully removed. There is one disadvan-

WHAT AND HOW TO FEED — 83

tage in the feeding of cabbages, and one which
should be considered when the rabbits are
kept indoors. This vegetable causes the urine
to have a very strong odor, which in many
cases is very objectionable. Some such result
follows the use of certain other vegetables, but
it is particularly pronounced in the case of
cabbages. ;

It is of decided advantage to have a garden,
because the liberal use of vegetables and green
foods helps to reduce the cost of raising one’s
rabbits, and because the animals thrive espec-
ially well on such food, although it will need
to be supplemented with some grain and hay.
In this country great stress is laid upon the
value of carrots, which are called the best veg-
etables for rabbits of all kinds. It is claimed
that carrots help to create a liberal flow of
milk if fed to a breeding doe, and that they
aid in producing a fine, glossy coat when given
to exhibition animals. Yet it is quite possible
that the value of carrots is somewhat over-
emphasized, possibly because of the fact that
rabbits are exceedingly fond of carrots and
eat them with the greatest avidity.

English breeders who have had more ex-

84 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

perience than most of the members of the fancy
in this country pin their faith to parsnips,
although amateurs in England and in France
favor the theory of the superlative value of
carrots. Analysis shows that parsnips have
greater food value, and the same richness in
sugar and essential oils. At the same time it
must be admitted that any food which pro-
vokes the appetite is likely to be more bene-
ficial in some ways at least than that which is
eaten with less relish. Parsnips should be
grown, at any rate, and can be left in the
ground all winter, being ready for use in the
spring as soon as they can be dug. The
amount kept outside should be limited,
though, because parsnips have to be used
quickly after they are dug in the spring. Of
course a few boxes of parsnips may be stored
in the cellar in the fall. Both carrots and
beets should also be grown for winter use.
Turnips may be added to the list, especially
the Swedes called rutabagas, as they can be
grown cheaply and assume large size in good
ground. It should be stated in passing that
beets which have been allowed to freeze
should never be fed to rabbits.

WHAT AND HOW TO FEED 85

The statement is sometimes heard that veg-
etables stored for winter in the average cellar
will wilt in a few months, and wilted vege-
tables, as all admit, are not desirable for stock
any more than for humans. With a little care,
though, this wilt can be prevented, and the
vegetables kept fresh and crisp until spring.
It is only necessary to store the vegetables in
clean sand. A layer of sand should be put in
the bottom of the box, and the sand sifted
around and over each layer of vegetables. If
sand is not available, autumn leaves can be
used as a substitute. They may not be quite
so efficient, but they will keep the vegetables
in good condition for a long time. If the cel-
lar happens to be heated by a furnace, the
boxes should be put in as cool a corner as can
be found, and wherever the atmosphere is dry
it may be necessary from time to time to
sprinkle the sand a little, or to keep the boxes
closely covered with paper.

A vegetable of which rabbits are exceed-
ingly fond and which can be grown with the
greatest ease, and yet which is almost un-
known in American gardens, is Witloof Chic-
ory. It is really an improved form of the

86 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

common wild chicory, and is extensively
forced for winter use across the water. In
times past great quantities of this forced Wit-
loof, or as it is called in the restaurants,
French endive, were sent to this country from
Belgium, but of course that trade was entirely
upset by the war. Owing to the lack of im-
portations, a number of American gardeners
began to grow it in a commercial way, and
roots can be obtained in the fall. There is no
reason, though, why any amateur shoudn’t
grow this salad vegetable in his own garden,
and it is only necessary to plant seed in the
spring, to thin the young plants sa that they
will stand a foot apart, and to dig up roots
when fall comes, keeping them in a cool place
until they are wanted.

If the roots are buried in boxes of earth,
with the crowns just at the surface, and the
boxes kept in a warm place and the earth oc-
casionally moistened, white, crisp shoots will
soon start, and when a few inches high can be
cut for the table. The heads will grow more
compact and straight if three or four inches
of sand be placed over the crowns in the box.
The shoots will come right up through this

WHAT AND HOW TO FEED 87

sand, but should be cut just above the roots.
They will grow up two or three times.

While this salad is highly prized for table
use, it is an excellent food for rabbits of all
ages. In order to get the sprouts white they
must be grown in a dark place, or a second
box be upturned over the one containing the
roots. The rabbits are not particular about the
color or delicacy of flavor, however. They are
just as well satisfied with the green leaves
which come when the plants are grown in the
light indoors, and the larger leaves which are
produced in the open outside. The leaves
make a rank growth, and the plants come up
the second year, so that this is a particularly
easy vegetable to cultivate. It should be
watched, however, and not allowed to run
wild or it may turn into a weed.

Another good form of green food is Curly
Scotch Kale. The particular advantage of
this lies in the fact that it comes very late in
the season, not being affected by early frosts,
and often lasting until Christmas, even in the
northern states. A few plants provide a large
amount of food. Kale, like cabbage, makes
ill smelling hutches. Dwarf Essex Rape, such

88 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

as is commonly used for hogs and. chickens, is
an easily raised though less valuable food,
perhaps, for rabbits. It can be obtained very
quickly in the spring, which is a point in its
favor.

New Zealand spinach is another good vege-
table for the period lasting from mid-summer
to late fall. It is especially to be prized in a
small garden because a single short row will
be sufficient. If only the outer leaves are har-
vested, it will continually renew itself, pro-
viding a continuous supply of greens. Rabbits
are also very fond of celery tops. Corn stalks
may be fed green and cured but should not
be fed if moldy. |

While most vegetables should be fed raw,
/ potatoes must always be cooked, if they are to
be given to rabbits at all. They contain too
much starch in a raw state. They are not rel-
ished by the rabbits when raw, anyway, but
are eaten fairly well when cooked, especially
when mixed with a little bran or other grain.
It will hardly pay to grow potatoes for rabbits
but the small specimens, many of which are
usually produced along with the large tubers,
constitute a sort of by-product which can be

WHAT AND HOW TO FEED 89

used profitably for feeding the rabbits. Cer-
tainly an occasional feeding of warm, cooked
potatoes, mixed with bran, is relished, and has
a beneficial effect.

So much for garden vegetables for rabbit
feeding. More than usual attention has been
given to this phase of the subject because it is
felt that amateurs and even commercial rabbit
growers can greatly reduce their expenses, es-
pecially in times when grain is high, and thus
make rabbit raising more profitable by grow-
ing a large proportion of the food needed to
keep them in good condition. It is not to be
assumed, though, that the amount of grain re-
quired for a few rabbits constitutes a heavy
item of expense. It is true that some people
raise their rabbits wholly on green food and

‘vegetables with the addition of hay. Less
rapid growth is made, though, and the rabbits
are less suitable for meat purposes, the flesh
being too soft. A certain amount of grain is
almost indispensable for good even growth,
and to improve the texture of the flesh. At the
same time an excess of grain is objectionable,
making the meat too hard to be wholly satis-
factory. Experienced breeders like to use

90 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

more or less cooked potatoes and various root
crops to develop meat of the best quality.

It is reasonable to suppose that the rabbit
keeper will use the kind of grain which is most
plentiful and consequently the cheapest in his
section. Oats are considered by most rabbit
keepers the best grain, but there is no good
reason for giving them precedence over bar-
ley, wheat, or even corn. Whole corn is eaten
readily by the larger rabbits and boiled corn
makes an excellent ration. Some rabbits have
a habit of husking the oats given them, and
oftentimes hulled oats are preferable to any
other kind. For young stock crushed oats are
to be preferred as more easily digested. There
is no reason why the rabbit keeper should not
have a small hand mill and prepare his own
oats.

The use of moist mashes containing bran,
corn meal, barley meal, and possibly a little
gluten meal has been much discussed in the
pet stock magazines, with numerous argu-
ments pro and con. There seems to be no spe-
cial reason why they shouldn’t be used, and yet
no very good reason why they should, except
that the preparation occasions more labor than

WHAT AND HOW TO FEED gi

that of dry grains, and results are no better
except as a sort of pick-me-up during the win-
ter season when a rabbit is run down, perhaps
from excessive breeding.

Hay is absolutely necessary. It should be
bright clean hay, too, alfalfa, clover or tim-
othy. Quite commonly a little hay is put into
the hutch for bedding, and the rabbits eat
some of it. It is well, though, to have a rack
on the wall at one end of the hutch where
fresh clean hay can be put. Such a rack is
easily made from a few laths or from poultry
wire with a two-inch mesh.

When it comes to milk, one again finds ar-
guments for and against its use. Sometimes the
rabbits themselves decline to eat milk at all,
but usually they seem to relish it. Whatever
may be said, experiments seem to show that
dry bread soaked in milk makes an exceed-
ingly beneficial food for does just before and
after their young are born. It isn’t necessary
to develop any of the elaborate feeding for-
mulas sometimes recommended at this time.
A healthy doe will get along very well on oats
and hay, if given a supplementary feeding of
carrots and other succulent roots. Neverthe-

92 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

less bread and milk help to keep the doe in
better condition and better flesh during this
trying period. A better flow of the lacteal
fluid seems to be created also, which is import-
ant if the litter is a large one.

Beginners often ask if table scraps cannot
be fed to rabbits. They can be given, in mod-
eration and with limitations. Meat should be
withheld, although some rabbit keepers advise
the use of fresh chopped beef. Rich, sweet
foods should be kept out of the rabbitry, but
pieces of stale cake and of dry hard bread may
be fed without fear. All that has been said
applies to rabbits that have reached the age
of three or four months.

With young stock the feeding of green food
must be done very carefully. For the first few
weeks it is best that they have none at all. Af-
ter that a little may be given, and the amount
increased gradually, but if the rabbits are seen
to be growing big and pouchy under the stom-
ach, the amount of green food should be re-
duced or cut off entirely, because the condition
known as pot-belly is being produced. This
is a common trouble with youngsters which
have too much food of any kind, and espec-

WHAT AND HOW TO FEED 93

ially an excess of green stuff. When the
youngsters first begin to come out of the nest
they should not be allowed to feed on the
rations provided for the mother. A board
may be set in front of the nest box at feeding
time, or the doe may be removed and fed in
another hutch.

Under ordinary circumstances two feedings
a day are sufficient, and they should be as wide
apart as possible. Most rabbits, and especially
Belgian hares, are particularly active after
nightfall, sleeping much of the day. The best
time to give them their heavy meal is just be-
fore dusk. Then it is that their grain ration
should be set before them. The amount will
vary with the size of the rabbits. Belgian
hares require about a handful of oats at a
time. Giants take a little more. All rabbits
with young require about twice as much as at
other times. A little hay should also be given
at night. In the morning vegetables and hay
can be fed. It is important that no food be
left in the hutch for very long except hay.
Bread and milk, or anything that is likely to
sour, must be removed promptly and the
dishes carefully scoured. Green food must

94 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

not be left in the hutch after the rabbits have
had their fill. It is always better to keep the
animals a little on the hungry side, rather than
to overfeed them. Probably over-feeding has
caused more losses than any other one thing.
A breeding doe just before kindling and while
nursing her young should have three meals a
day without fail.

Rabbits, like most other animals, seem to
require asmall amount of salt. Some breeders
keep a little rock salt in the hutches at all
times. Others think that the animals get an
excess when this is done, and prefer to mix a
little salt at intervals, say twice a week, with
a mash or perhaps in their oats. What are
called salt spools are now on the market. They
are simply round cakes of specially prepared
salt with a hole in the middle by which they
can be spiked to the side of the hutch or sus-
pended by a cord.

When the rabbits are feeding freely on
green stuff, they do not require much water,
but at other times should be watered at least
twice a day, being given all they can drink.
This is the best plan in the winter time, but in
summer it is more humane and easier to keep

a

WHAT AND HOW TO FEED 95

water before the animals at all times. Special
water dishes not easily tipped over are on the
market. Butter crocks are sometimes used,
and can be kept from being overturned by the
use of four upright spikes or wooden knobs
fastened to the hutch floor. Sometimes metal
dishes are used and fastened to the side of the
hutch. Any dish which is loose, unless very
heavy, will be overturned by the rabbits and
the contents spilled. As has been said in an-
other chapter, does about to kindle should
have water at hand at all times.

Many patented foods or proprietary mashes
are on the market. Their use is not recom-
mended. Some of them may be valuable and
cost no more than ordinary grain rations, but
many contain stimulative ingredients which in
the long run are injurious.

Chapter X.

SIMPLE RULES FOR BREEDING

ANY rabbit books are devoted very
M largely to the subject of breeding.
That is because they are written for
the benefit of the fancier. It is necessary to
know all about the breed which one is hand-
ling if one’s aim is to produce exhibition stock.
There are little matters in connection with the
breeding of one kind of rabbit which may not
apply to that of another. When one is raising
rabbits for utility purposes, it isn’t necessary
to be so particular, but there are certain funda-
mentals which must not be overlooked if suc-
cess is to be won.

The fancier who is trying to secure high
class rabbits which will win in a show room
or bring a long price when sold often limits
the number of litters produced by each doe to
two a year. On the other hand, some breeders
who are working wholly for meat production,

96

SIMPLE RULES FOR BREEDING 97

allow their does to breed six or even more
times a season, perhaps breeding them when
their young are a few weeks old. The does
themselves are turned into meat before they
are two years old. Between these extremes
comes that of the average breeder who aims
to produce some rabbits good enough to sell
for breeders or perhaps to exhibit, but whose
main object is the rearing of utility stock.
Such breeders obtain four or possibly five lit-
ters a year, and destroy some of the young as
soon as born if the litter is larger than the
mother can easily care for. This is a logical
and intelligent plan. The does are not weak-
ened as when they bear an excessive number of
young, and the youngsters themselves have
sufficient stamina to give them a good start in
life.

The breeder whose mind is fixed wholly on
meat production pays little attention to the
general appearance of the rabbits which he
uses. He simply tries to have them vigorous
and of good size. It is a good plan for the
amateur, though, to use some care in selecting
his breeding stock, trying to get as good a class
of animals as possible without including those

98 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

which have been weakened by being bred too
fine. For years there will be a sale for breed-
ing stock, and the average amateur can dispose
of a certain number of animals at a better
price than when they are turned into meat.
Meat breeders have size as their standard, and
they try to choose rabbits for breeding stock
which have broad backs and heavy hind quar-
ters, because like produces like, and the young
of such animals will make good looking rab-
bits when dressed. It is important to choose
a large buck, for with rabbits as with poultry
much depends upon the male side of the line.
The buck always ought to be as good as or
better than the doe. It is thought by some
breeders that extra good meat animals are ob-
tained by crossing, using Flemish Giants.
These Giants crossed with New Zealand Reds
or with Belgian hares produce excellent meat
stock. The result of these crosses should not
be used for breeding, however, at least as re-
gards the bucks. Good results may be obtained
by breeding a thoroughbred buck to a cross-
bred doe.

It is folly to breed immature animals. The ©
doe may be ruined and the young are pretty

SIMPLE RULES FOR BREEDING 99

certain to be weak, especially if the litter is
a large one. Maturity depends somewhat
upon the way in which the animals are cared
for, but does of the smaller and medium size
breeds are ready for mating when six or seven
months old. It is better to wait two months
longer with larger breeds, like the Flemish
Giants.

Of course the time of the year must be taken
into account. It is best when possible to start
breeding in the spring, as that is the most nat-
ural time. Moreover, it is much easier to care
for the youngsters after the weather begins to
get warm. When rabbits are born in cold
weather, extra care must be taken to keep the
hutches warm and free from drafts or damp-
ness. At the same time, artificial heat, except
in the case of lop-eared rabbits, is not desir-
able. That being the case, many breeders
allow their animals to rest during the winter
months, or until February. Breeding early
in the year has some distinct advantages, one
of which is that the youngsters get well grown
before hot weather comes. It has been found
that rabbits born before May are usually more
vigorous than those which come along later in

100 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

the season. This is an important point, es-
pecially to the utility breeder.

Breeding stock can be kept for several years
before their powers wane. In France, where
rabbit breeding has been made a science, the
breeding stock is considered to be at its best
between the ages of eight and fifteen months.
Exhibition rabbits may be kept for breeding
purposes up to four or five years, but when
meat is the object desired, it is best to dispose
of them earlier, before the meat gets too tough.
Rabbits have been known to breed up to ten
years and even when older.

Reading the usual ‘flamboyant advertise-
ments about the remarkable fecundity of rab-
bits, one infers that the young keep coming
along in an uninterrupted stream the whole
year around. The truth is, though, that breed-
ing is not easily affected after the beginning
of August and up until late winter. At that
time the rabbits are molting and breeding is .
not recommended in any event if one is look-
ing for high grade stock. It may be forced
when meat is the object. Old-time breeders
say that feeding peas that have been soaked in
water helps to induce breeding, the peas being

SIMPLE RULES FOR BREEDING 101

given for about a week in addition to the other
feed. Feeding a little whole corn and also
apple-tree bark will cause some does to get
into breeding condition. Various other prac-
tices are recommended, but their value is
doubtful.

~~ When a doe is to be bred, it is always best
to remove her to the hutch occupied by the
buck. This seems to be the concensus of opin-
ion among experienced breeders now. If the
buck is put into the doe’s hutch, she is likely
to resent his intrusion and offer combat. Ex-
perienced breeders learn to know when to
handle a doe, especially in the spring, taking
note when she becomes restless and stamps
-around her hutch. The beginner, however,
will have to try her. She should be lifted
gently and placed in the buck’s hutch. Some
breeders leave the animals together for several
hours or over night, but this is not a wise plan.
If the doe hugs the floor or runs wildly around
the pen, she should be removed in a few mo-
ments, and tried again the next day, this being
kept up as long as necessary. In spring, es-
pecially, the doe is ready for the buck at perio-
dical intervals of about five days. If the time

102 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

is right she will make no resistance. It is
important for beginners to understand that it
is often difficult to induce a virgin doe to
breed ; sometimes many trials have to be made
before she is safely bred.

It often happens, though, that a doe is re-
moved before she has been bred when she is
handled by a novice. Then at the end of the
month a complaint may be made that the buck
is useless. The animals should always be
watched, and when the buck falls over on his
side or backwards, the owner will know that
service has been complete. One service is
better than several, and in a few moments the
animals should be separated. A buck should
not be used oftener than two or three times a
week.

After the doe has been put back into her
hutch she should be kept as quiet as possible
until her babies come. They usually arrive in
thirty days, but sometimes are delayed for a
day. The does must have a special nesting
box which may be a permanent part of the
hutch or a smaller box with an opening a little
larger than the doe cut into one side. This
opening should face away from the light. It

SIMPLE RULES FOR BREEDING 103

may be a good plan to bore a few holes in the
sides of the box for extra ventilation. Soft hay
is the best nesting material, and an abundance
of it should be supplied. Sometimes, though,
a doe will pack her nesting box too full of hay.
The nest is lined with fur which the doe tears
from her body. The nest is usually made
ready a few days before the young are due. It
sometimes happens, though, that nest making
is commenced within a few days after service.
When that occurs it can be taken as an indica-
tion that the doe was not successfully bred.
She should be introduced to the buck again at
once in order to avoid the loss of three weeks’
time or more.

The birth of the youngsters usually takes
place easily, but the doe becomes very thirsty
and a supply of fresh water should be kept in
her hutch. Oats should also be kept at hand
for several days before the event takes place.
Sometimes a doe develops an abnormal appe-
tite and devours her own young. This un-
pleasant happening can be prevented often-
times by hanging a piece of salt pork in the
hutch where the doe can readily obtain it.

After the doe emerges from the nest box, a

104 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

careful but cautious examination should be
made, and the dead rabbits removed from the
nest. A litter often runs as high as ten, and
may reach fifteen or sixteen. Now a rabbit
has only eight teats, and sometimes in the case
of the Belgian hare, only six. If there are any
excess young remaining alive, the weakest
looking of the lot should be destroyed. It is
much better to have a doe raise six or seven
robust, healthy youngsters than ten or a dozen
that are weak and undernourished. With
fancy stock, a foster-mother is sometimes used
for part of the litter. Dutch does are consid-
ered especially good foster-mothers. Quite
often rabbit breeders are told that they should
have several does produce their young at the
same time, so that the litters can be divided
up. This is a much more difficult matter to
arrange, however, than it sounds, and seldom
can be worked out satisfactorily except on a
plant where a large number of rabbits are
kept.

Being blind and naked when they are born,
the young rabbits are perfectly helpless. They
make rapid growth, though, and in less than
three weeks are to be seen poking their heads

SIMPLE RULES FOR BREEDING 10s

through the nest opening. Then they begin to
make furtive dashes into the light, beating a
hasty retreat when anyone appears and tumb-
ling over themselves in a mad dash to get out
of sight. In four weeks or a little more, they
lose most’ of their shyness and are to be seen
playing about the hutch.

Does differ in individual traits; some are
very docile and tame, while others are nervous
and easily excited. With animals of the latter
characteristics, visitors should be kept away
for some days after the young have been pro-
duced. It may be wise in such cases to post-
pone examining the nest for several days. A
French writer says that rabbits habitually
suckle their young very early in the morning,
and again between six and eight o’clock in the
evening, but occasionally we find a doe nurs-
ing her young during the day. Obviously they
should not be disturbed at this time. If a doe
is frightened she is likely to drag her babies
into the open hutch, as they attach themselves
very firmly to her teats. She will seldom
carry them back again, and they are likely
to perish. Most breeders know what it is to
find a collection of little dead rabbits scattered

106 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

around the hutch at some time or other. It
always makes it easier to examine the nest by
giving the doe a little green food to distract
her attention.

In a rabbitry where a number of animals
are kept, it is advisable to maintain a stud
book. In fact, a book of this kind is absolutely
necessary when a business of any proportions
is carried on, unless some kind of record blank
is attached to each hutch. The point is that
the breeder must know exactly when his does
are to litter, or to use the common expression
among rabbit breeders, to kindle. This can
be known only by keeping a record of the
dates on which the does were bred. The stud
book or record sheet should also have a place
for the number of young produced in each
litter, and other information.

There is a bugaboo which looms large on
the horizon of many rabbit keepers, both ama-
teurs and those in the professional class. It
relates to what is called in-breeding. Most of
the rabbit books gotten out by commercial
growers lay great stress on the danger of the
inter-breeding of rabbits having a close blood
relationship. Much of this danger is purely

SIMPLE RULES FOR BREEDING 107

imaginary. With all kinds of animals in-
breeding has been practiced continually for
many years to fix a type or to secure high
grade exhibition stock. This is true of rabbits
as it is of horses and cattle. Now in the pro-
duction of animals purely for meat purposes,
in-breeding is neither desirable nor necessary.
In fact, cross-breeding seems to give better re-
sults when the cross is made only once. The
truth is that the average breeder does not un-
derstand what is meant by the terms. In
their book called “Rabbit and Cavy Cul-
ture,” Messrs. Roth and Cornman devote
much space to the consideration of this whole
subject. The following is a brief and trench-
ant explanation of the terms mentioned:

“Cross-breeding is the mating of two thor-
oughbred breeds of diverse species, as the
Hackney and Trotting horse, Alderney and
Holstein cow, Bulldog and Hound, Belgian
and Flemish, or Dutch and Silver, etc. Sub-
sequent matings of such offspring can be line-
or in-bred.

“Line-breeding is mating individual spec-
imens of a breed when interruption in rela-
tionship exists by remoteness.

108 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

“In-breeding is the mating of close related
ones of the same species.

“With regard to this latter form of breeding
the United States Bureau of Animal In-
dustry has bred brother and sister mated in
sequence order down to the roth generation,
cavies being the example, and regarding
which Dr. Schroeder writes, ‘We have found
nothing to indicate that the intensest form of
in-breeding, carried on for nine or ten gene-
rations, is injurious. That for the preserva-
tion and perpetuation of especially fine points,
and for the establishment of new breeds
through the selection of naturally occurring
mutations we are practically forced to resort
to in-breeding.’

“One factor stands out pre-eminently above
all others in its relation to breeding, no matter
along what line the latter is practiced—that of
health, and the possibilities from heredity.
One should never mate specimens containing
physical defects, not when affected with dis-
ease whose transmission is known to influence
the offspring. I am not alluding to physical
faults, not to diseases that are curable by
proper treatment. These will not transmit

SIMPLE RULES FOR BREEDING 109

defects; but in the event of in-breeding, es-
sentially close in-breeding, physical defects
will likely be greatly accentuated, and consti-
tutional disease all the more.”

The fancier must understand line-breeding,
but unless he practices restraint, he may be
tempted to go too far and use animals lacking
in stamina, thus producing a strain that is
physically degenerate.

It is considered wise to mate an old doe with
a young buck, and vice versa, rather than two
old rabbits, however good.

Chapter XI.

RAISING THE YOUNG STOCK

D*: usually wean their young when

the latter are about six weeks old, al-

though a little longer time may be
allowed in cold weather. It isn’t necessary to
remove the youngsters at once, however, as
they can be left with the doe for some time,
unless the hutch is over-crowded. When six
weeks old, though, they can take care of them-
selves, and probably will grow faster than if
left with the doe. Sometimes the youngsters
are removed at an earlier date, as they are seen
to be eating the food given the mother, but this
is a serious mistake. It is important to give the
youngsters room enough to run around and ex-
ercise freely. With Belgian hares rather long
hutches are sometimes used, the hutch contain-
ing hurdles over which the youngsters are
forced to leap. This is supposed to develop
the long, racy body type which is desired in

se ie)

RAISING THE YOUNG STOCK 111

rabbits of this breed. It is even more neces-
sary in the case of young rabbits than mature
animals to keep the hutch clean and sanitary,
the floor being covered with sawdust, leaves,
hay or peat. Filth of any kind fosters diseases
which are difficult to eradicate.

The feeding of the young rabbits is an im-
portant matter, but will be found covered in
Chapter VIII.

If the weather is cold, special care must be
taken to keep the youngsters warm. The hutch
should be in a tight building, and it may be
necessary to drop a blanket or some other cov-
ering over the front at night. Raising young
animals in winter always has disadvantages,
except in a rabbitry equipped for the purpose,
or in the warmer parts of the country.

By the time they are three or three and one-
half months old, the sexes should be separated.
It becomes possible to tell them apart at that
age by a physical examination, as described
in Chapter VII. If the sexes are left together
longer there is danger that the does will be
prematurely bred, to their lasting injury. The
bucks, too, will begin to fight among them-
selves. Sometimes bucks that have grown up

112 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

in the same litter can be confined in the same
hutch or pen for some time longer, if they
have plenty of room. Quarrels are pretty
likely to come about, however, and valuable
rabbits may be seriously injured, perhaps hav-
ing their ears torn, or their noses mutilated.
Naturally the breeder who is raising utility
stock will get rid of all surplus bucks very
quickly, keeping only a few of the best ani-
mals, so that he can maintain a ratio of one
buck to eight or ten does at all times.

Amateurs often find it possible to sell well-
marked young bucks for breeding purposes.
The fancier will select such animals as prom-
ise to be of special value and let the others go,
possibly for meat.

Some breeders seem to think that it is ad-
visable to have small hutches and to keep only
two or three young rabbits in each hutch.
This, however, is not good policy. The grow-
ing stock needs plenty of room, and compan-
ionship. It usually is quite possible to unite
the does of the various litters.

The meat breeder will find it advantageous
to have his males castrated before they are
four months old. The flesh of rabbits becomes

RAISING THE YOUNG STOCK 113

too soft and flabby to be satisfactory if the
young animals are kept closely confined. The
exercise which they get when romping in large
hutches or in yards puts the meat into the best
of condition.

With rabbits raised for exhibition, this same
method of handling is wise because it puts the
rabbits into the best physical condition, which
is as important with fancy stock as with utility
animals,

If young rabbits when purchased are found
to be wild, the reason is that they have not been
handled sufficiently. Rabbits that come from
large plants are likely to be much wilder than
those raised by amateurs with only a small
business because the extensive breeders have
less time and opportunity for working with
and handling their youngsters. At the same
time the rabbits must not be worried or tor-
mented. ‘This is an important matter to bear
in mind when there are children on the place.

A rabbit that is shrinking and timid, or that
is ill-tempered and tries to fight or commences
stamping when anyone approaches is not an
animal to be desired, however well it may be
marked.

114 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Between the ages of eight and sixteen weeks,
the rabbits usually go through a molt and
sometimes become out of condition. If they
come from good stock, though, there should
be no trouble at all at this time.

Chapter XII.

EXHIBITING AND SELLING

ANY a man has begun keeping rab-
M bits without the slightest intention
of ever putting his animals into a
show, but after having become interested in
the improvement of his stock, has become an
enthusiastic exhibitor. A few commercial
rabbit keepers exhibit solely for advertising
purposes, realizing that by having prize win-
ners in their hutches they can get better prices
for their breeding stock. These are not the
men who give the best tone to the fancy. It is
the amateur who enjoys a keen competition
and loves to associate with fellow breeders and
talk over different matters pertaining to their
mutual hobby, who is the backbone of the in-
dustry. Naturally enough, the showing of
rabbits leads to their sale, for people always
like to buy from a breeder who has produced
prize-winning animals.

IIs

116 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Of course it is necessary to have first class
foundation stock if one is going to show with
success, but it is just as necessary to understand
the principles of breeding, and the idiosyn-
crasies of the different breeds. Many points
can be learned from books and from discus-
sions, but others must be learned by personal
experience. To begin with, one must be fa-
miliar with the standard and have an ideal in
mind. ‘Then when he has produced what
seems to him to be a rabbit worth showing, he
must put it into proper condition for exhibi-
tion. In many cases preparation has much to
do with winning prizes, especially now that
competition has become sharp. It is most es-
sential to keep the animals in the best of
health, giving them plenty of exercise and
feeding them the best of rations, although not
in excess. Most breeds should have a sleek,
smooth coat to please the judges, and all short
coated varieties should be carefully groomed.
Mr. C. J. Davies, one of the most noted of the
British rabbit breeders, has given the follow-
ing instructions for preparing rabbits for the
show room:

“The best thing to put a finishing gloss on

EXHIBITING AND SELLING 117

the coat is to add a small teaspoonful of lin-
seed to the concentrated food of each exhibit
daily for two or three weeks before the show.
No advantage is gained by boiling the seed.
Whole seed is preferable to meal, as it keeps
better and the fancier can see what he is buy-
ing. Linseed cake is sometimes used; but as
the best cakes only contain about 10 per cent.
of oil, whereas the whole seed probably con-
tains about 35 per cent., the latter is better
value for money spent on it.

“Angora rabbits need regular brushing
every day to keep them in show form, and on
the day before the show white Angoras and
Polish will be the better for a dusting with
white prepared fuller’s earth. Exhibitors of
Polish specially recommend flour thoroughly
dried in the oven, with 2 oz. blue added to 1
Ib. of flour, as a coat cleaning agent. AII such
preparations must be thoroughly got rid of
with a clean brush or the rabbit may be dis-
qualified.

“Dark-coated rabbits require no real
grooming, although some fanciers make a
practice of smoothing the coat with the palm
of the hand into which a speck of vaseline or

118 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

a drop of paraffin oil has been well rubbed.
It is safer for the novice to content himself
with a rub down with a ‘Selvyt’ or a silk hand-
kerchief, which will do all that is required if
the rabbit is as fit as it should be.

“Rabbits suffer considerably from being ex-
hibited, as is proved by the fact that in the
writer’s experience adults will lose several
ounces in weight and growing youngsters fail
to add to their weight during the time (and
for a few days after) they are away. The ob-
vious moral is not to show valuable animals
too frequently.

“Many rabbit breeders, with an entire dis-
regard for the comfort of their stock, send
them in boxes which are far too small. A use-
ful size of box for a 5 lb. rabbit is 16 in. to
18 in. long, ro in. wide, and 11 in. high. Bel-
gian hares and Flemish Giants require much
larger boxes, and Polish may be sent in rather
smaller ones; but it is wiser to use an unneces-
sarily large box for a valuable rabbit than to
risk cramping it for the sake of a few pence
extra on the railway charge. Ventilation must
be provided in the form of holes about 4 in.
in diameter cut in each end of the box and

EXHIBITING AND SELLING 119

covered with perforated zinc. A piece of
wood screwed over each ventilation hole will
prevent the box from being packed so tightly
against another package that all air is ex-
cluded.

“As several rabbits travel more cheaply in
one box than in separate packages, two, three,
or four compartment boxes or baskets, fur-
nished with a separate inner lid to each com-
partment, are used by exhibitors. The box
should be well hinged, have a good fastener
(preferably a strap and buckle, the strap
nailed to the box and passed right round it, as
this form is fool-proof), and for comfort in
carrying a strap handle on top. Rabbits must
not be sent to shows in boxes which are nailed
up Or inconvenient to manipulate in any way.
All railway charges have to be defrayed by
the exhibitor. A handful of sawdust should
be thrown into the travelling-box, placing
thereon a good layer of the best hay procur-
able. A crust of bread and a good slice of
root or apple should be put in and the box is
ready for its occupant.” .

Of course the rabbit breeder will try to
enter no animals which have disqualifications

120 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

such as wry tail or crooked legs, or one that
is molting. Animals which give evidence of
disease in any form must, of course, be
eliminated.

Sales are often made in the show room, and
others as a result of the winnings. Naturally
the exhibitor will hesitate to dispose of the
rabbits which have won for him, but he will
gladly have orders for the progeny of his
winners. It sometimes happens that zeal to
make sales will lead the breeder to misrepre-
sent his stock to some extent. This is a funda-
mental mistake. No breeder can go on suc-
cessfully unless he recognizes at the start that
honesty is in fact as well as in theory the best
policy. Only animals in the best of condition
should be sold unless the buyer has first seen
them and knows just what he is getting. The
stock sometimes sent out to unsuspecting ama-
teurs is,a disgrace to the breeders who ship
them.

As a means of protection the practice of
registering rabbits has been adopted, and only
thoroughbred animals are eligible to registry.
Registering is done under the direction of the
National Breeders’ and Fanciers’ Association,

‘a

rete

English Lop-eared Rabbit

EXHIBITING AND SELLING tar

which is the leading organization of the
United States, and the one with which all
societies are affiliated. Registrars are: estab-
lished in different parts of the country. The
breeders ship their animals to this man who
inspects them carefully, and if they prove sat-
isfactory as to physical features, etc., a registry
number is stamped on the ear. When a reg-
istered rabbit is purchased, the buyer feels
that the animal is practically guaranteed.

It sometimes happens that a dispute arises
between buyers and sellers. In that case the
question at issue may be placed before a com-
plaint agent appointed for different sections.
His decision must be considered final by all
members of the National Association.

The fee for registering a rabbit is one dol-
lar, and registrations must be sent to the sec-
retary of the association not later than thirty
days after the animal is registered. The ped-
igree of an animal to be registered must always
accompany the application. The pedigree is
the ancestral tree of the animal. It should
date back for three generations on each side,
the name of each progenitor being given. A
pedigree is arranged as indicated below.

122 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

It is, of course, true, as often charged, that
pedigrees can be faked, and that this dishonest
practice is common. As a matter of fact, fak-

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ing is done by fewer breeders than may be sup-
posed, and obviously there is no good reason
for opposing pedigrees because a few fakers
exist.

The man or woman selling rabbits should

keep a card index so that he or she will know
the history of every rabbit in the hutches, and
the disposition which is made of it. If the
seller is wise, he will send a blank receipt to his
customer to be filled in and returned. If this
receipt states that the animal was received and

found to be as represented, there will be no

EXHIBITING AND SELLING 123

ground for dispute in the future. Every order
should be acknowledged as soon as received,
and filled as promptly as possible.

It is helpful to send out some instructions
for the use of buyers who have had no pre-
vious experience. A set of rules for buyers
printed on small slips of paper can be pur-
chased at a low price from supply houses.
These rules include the following:

All stock shall be in perfect condition and free
from disease when it leaves our possession, unless
stated otherwise in writing.

Any animal dying after it leaves our possession
is at the risk of the owner and we are in no way
responsible for same.

Stock that is sick, crippled, damaged or a part
of it dead when it reaches the purchaser should
be accepted and before signing your name on the
Express delivery book you should write on the
book in ink the nature of the damage or loss; then,
immediately write us a letter giving the facts and
we will enter a claim against the Express Com-
pany and collect for the loss and immediately re-
place the loss to you and ship same all charges
paid. Where shipment is a total loss it should not
be accepted. \

Use care in not overfeeding or underfeeding
your stock. Give them every morning what oats

124 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

they will clean up in about 45 minutes, also clean
pure water. At night give them hay as they are
nocturnal eaters and keep at it all night. Filthy
water produces worms,

Do not let every Tom, Dick and Harry dis-
courage you. Use your own good common sense.
If you need advice, write us for it. Many people
are constantly taking the joy out of life and as
we want you to be successful we will help you
gladly at all times.

When you are ready to sell the stock you raise
let us hear from you and we will help you find a
market.

To be successful in any new undertaking you
must read, study, experiment and stick-to-it until
you master your problem.

Chapter XIII.

PREPARING RABBITS FOR THE
TABLE

as extensive proportions in America as
abroad increasing attention must be given
to the production of meat. Already that is the
phase of the business which appeals most to
a large number of people. So far, however,
the demand for breeding stock has been so
persistent that only a limited number of an-
imals have been available for market pur-
poses. How long this will continue nobody
can tell, but it is certain every effort should be
made by commercial rabbit.keepers to extend
the demand for meat animals as rapidly as
possible. Otherwise that demand may not
exist in a large way when the point of satura-
tion is reached.
A constantly increasing army of commuters
and other people find rabbit meat unsurpassed

125

ie the rabbit industry is going to assume

126 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

for the table, and large numbers of rabbits are
being raised for private consumption. This,
of course, will help to increase the general
demand. As it is now, this demand is growing
in most of the larger cities, but in the smaller
cities and towns there is almost no call for
meat in hotels or restaurants. Rabbit meat is
served regularly on the Pacific coast, as a mat-
ter of course. Many rabbits are also being
purchased by dealers in New York. Rabbit
breeders in states as far away as Massachusetts
and New Hampshire are sending all their sur-
plus stock to the big cities, where they get
from 15 to 40 cents a pound. A few dealers
in Boston and other eastern cities are adver-
tising for rabbits. In some places the larger
breeders buy up the occasional animals offered
by the smaller breeders in their section and
make shipments to city dealers. In places.
where there is a large foreign population, sales
are particularly easy to make.

Belgian hare meat can be served in a great
number of ways, and is quite as delicious as
chicken. There is just one point in the cook-
ing to remember, which is that the meat is
rather dry, and must be parboiled or treated

RABBITS FOR THE TABLE — 127

in some other way to remedy this difficulty.
Because this point is not recognized is the rea-
son that rabbit meat is often set down as tough
and unpalatable.

It stands to reason that the relatively young
rabbit is better than one which is old. At the
same time they may be used up to the age of
two years. Rabbits three or four months old
are especially good when served as friers.

When it comes to killing a rabbit for the
first time, the amateur must keep the matter _
out of his thoughts as much as possible, for
the job is not a pleasant one. After a little ex-
perience, though, it can be done quickly and
without making such an unpleasant impres-
sion. If possible kill the animal in the morn-
ing before feeding. The best plan is to grasp
the animal by the hind legs and then to deal
it a sudden sharp blow just behind the ears
with the side of the hand or, better still, with
a short stick. The point mentioned is partic-
ularly vulnerable, so that a very hard blow is
not needed. Immediately the jugular vein
should be cut, which is done by driving the
knife into the side of the neck just below the
ear, and the animal hung head down to bleed.

128 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

Sometimes the throat is cut squarely across.

It is a good plan to have two hooks fastened
to a post or the wall at the right height to
receive the hind legs. The hooks can be run
through the skin between the bone and the ten-
don. Some breeders cut off the head as soon
as the animal has been stunned and cook it for
the poultry. The rabbit will bleed profusely
for a few minutes in any event, and it is well
to have a pan or bucket partly filled with bran
to catch the blood. This mixture can also be
fed to chickens. Of course if the rabbits are
to be marketed, the head must be left on. Pri-
vate customers, though, will want the animal
dressed and cut up before it is delivered, and
will not care for the head, unless they happen
to come from one of the European countries,
in which case they may demand it, for in Eu-
rope the head is commonly cooked and used
for making soup stock.

When it comes to dressing the animal, a
very sharp knife should be used, but with
great care so that the bladder will not be pene-
trated. The abdomen is first opened by mak-
ing a six-inch slit through which the entrails
may be removed. A gall bag will be found in

RABBITS FOR THE TABLE 129

the liver and should be carefully taken off.
The lungs, liver, heart and kidneys are left in
place. After being cleaned the carcass should
be left hanging for a few hours before it is
shipped away. It isn’t best to soak the carcass
in salted water at this time, as is sometimes
done, but there is no objection to doing this
for half an hour just before the rabbit is to be
cooked. No water should be used in cleaning
the rabbit, but a damp cloth may be employed
to remove any spots of blood which may
appear.

The appearance of a dressed rabbit some-
times prejudices people against it when they
see it for the first time. Doubtless this preju-
dice will disappear in the course of a few
years, but in the meantime it often pays to
cut the rabbit into smaller pieces before de-
livering it to customers. In his Government
Bulletin, Mr. Lantz recommends that rabbits
when packed for market should be placed in
a basket or hamper having movable slatted
trays so that the carcasses may be kept packed
in separate layers. Such a hamper permits
the free circulation of air, not only on the
edge, but also throughout the package, and

130 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

the carcasses packed in this way reach their
destination in an attractive state instead of
being in the messy condition so often seen in
the wild rabbits marketed in America. Cer-
tain it is that a good business cannot be built
up unless domestic rabbits are sent to market
in a much more attractive condition than the
wild rabbits, which always appear in large
numbers in winter, and which look far from
attractive.

Any cook who is accustomed to prepare
chicken or fowl will be able to cook rabbits,
and can easily devise many excellent dishes,
although the necessity of retaining the juices
as far as possible must be borne in mind as
already mentioned. Most of the recipes given
apply to rabbits which are nearing maturity.
Less cooking may be needed for those which
are under five months or which are light in
weight. It is always well to use plenty of fat
pork or bacon in cooking rabbits, as they im-
prove the flavor. As with poultry the meat
should hang for at least twenty-four hours
before it is eaten. Some people like to have
the meat get much riper than that, but there
is such a thing as letting it become too ripe.

RABBITS FOR THE TABLE 131

If there is too much for the meals of a small
family and they tire of eating rabbit so often
it can be canned like any other meat and kept
in jars until wanted. Rabbit en casserole(and
in a variety of ways that will suggest them-
selves to any woman who has had experience
as a cook}is a change from the monotonous
round of beef and lamb, beef and lamb, beef
and lamb through the winter. On the Pacific
coast rabbits are often used for making mince-
meat, being prepared in the same way as beef.

The following recipes have been gathered
from many sources, but they by no means ex-
haust the possibilities in the way of rabbit
dishes :

Rabbit Pie

For rabbit pie make a rich pie crust, rolled
thin for the bottom and sides of the dish and
just patted out for the top. Line with a layer
of thickened rabbit gravy, one of diced po-
tatoes and one of meat. Alternate until the
top crust is ready to put on. Top with a layer
of chopped onions and tuck in the upper crust.
Score to let the steam escape. Bake in a fairly

132 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

hot oven, and just before browning rub with
melted butter, set on top shelf of oven and
brown quickly.

Creamed Rabbit

Creamed rabbit is delicious, and left over
pieces of meat can be utilized by making a
thickened gravy of the liquid in which the
rabbit was boiled and adding shredded wheat.
Stale bread should be moistened and crisped
in the oven and the creamed rabbit poured
over the toast.

Baked Rabbit en Casserole

Lay alternate layers of rabbit and thin
slices of bacon, season with thyme, sage, thinly
sliced onions, and salt to taste. Fill the dish
with water, bake in a slow oven for one and
a half hours. A covered baking dish or pan
may be used instead of a casserole, and the
meat may be boned or not as desired.

Rabbit Fricasee

Brown some butter in a hot iron skillet.
Then fry the hare, previously cut up, brown

RABBITS FOR THE TABLE 133

on both sides. Next cover the meat with hot
water and stew until it is thoroughly tender,
seasoning it to taste. At the end of the stew-
ing, let the meat again fry brown.

Hasenpfeffer

Cut each rabbit into eight pieces, the two
legs, the two shoulders, and breast and back
each cut in two pieces. Wash well, drain,
then steep for a few hours in vinegar con-
taining thyme, carrots and onions. When
ready take the pieces, roll them in flour and.
fry lightly in butter. Put them in a sautoir
(saucepan) when fried. Now fry some pieces
of salt pork, add them to the rabbit, with some
flour, moisten with stock, simmer and skim.
Then add some button onions, a little thyme,
and enough of the vinegar they were steeped
in to give a sharp flavor. Simmer till tender
and serve.

Sauté of Rabbit

Use the legs and saddles of the rabbits.
Soak them in warm water for an hour, then

134 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

drain and wipe each piece dry; season, then
roll in flour, fry a light color in butter. Make
the sauce in the same pan, boil and skim. Put
back the rabbit, add some sliced mushrooms,
simmer till tender, finish with the addition of
a little sherry wine.

Cutlets of Rabbits, Tomato Sauce

Roll the legs in a mixture of salt, pepper
and powdered poultry seasoning, then in flour,
dip in beaten egg and fresh bread crumbs.
Place in pan containing melted butter, put in
slow oven for over half an hour, or till tender
and brown; serve with tomato sauce.

Rabbit Liver and Bacon

Take two or three livers, cut in small pieces,
roll in ‘flour, pepper and salt, drop in boiling
fat from the bacon, and arrange on platter
with thin, crisp slices of bacon and potato
marbles. Garnish with parsley or watercress.

Potted Rabbit

This is a good way to use old rabbits. Cut
the rabbit into small pieces, cook in as little

RABBITS FORTHE TABLE 135

water as possible until meat falls from bone;,
remove bones and strain. liquor. Chop or
mash in a mortar all meat, adding a table-
spoonful of butter and seasoning—a little cay-
enne pepper makes a nice flavor—work into
a paste, pack tight into jars, and seal tight.

Chapter XIV.
RABBIT FURS AND THEIR VALUE

T would be foolish to undertake raising
| rabbits of any kind simply for their pelts.
If the value of these pelts were as great as
some breeders would have us believe, rabbit
keeping would be taken up by a host of people
immediately. At the same time, rabbit fur
has sufficient value to warrant saving the skins
from animals which are used for table pur-
poses except in the summer months, when
they are in poor condition. As a by-product
the pelts of rabbits may be handled profitably.
While the war was on, prices of all furs
became unusually high, and a larger demand
for rabbit skins was created than had existed
before, at least in this country. In ordinary
times a vast number of rabbit skins are im-
ported from Australia to be used by hat
makers. That source of supply being cut off
temporarily, manufacturers became interested

136

Sal], eIYL ur sayojnyzy

RABBIT FURS—THEIR VALUE 137

to some extent in local markets. At a recent
fur sale in St. Louis, which is the center of
the business in the United States, six million
rabbit pelts were auctioned off, bringing a
total of five hundred thousand dollars. The
top price of the sale was $2.10 a pound, the
best lot averaging seven pelts to the pound.
Most of these rabbit skins came from Australia
and New Zealand, only two per cent. having
been received from American shippers. It
will be seen by this that rabbit skins are in
demand even though the price is low. For-
merly all the big sales of Australia’s output
have been held in London, but the business is
being established on so firm a ground in this
country that it probably can be retained here.
That being true, the opportunity for Ameri-
can breeders to find an outlet for whatever sur-
plus they may have will be improved. At
these auction sales the buyers are mostly fur-
riers and hat manufacturers from the larger
centers.

When one has only a few rabbits, of course,
he cannot expect to find a ready market for the
pelts, as dealers always like to buy in large
lots. Now, however, leading rabbit keepers

138 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

in various pafts of the country are beginning
to collect skins from smaller growers with
whom they do business. Then when they have
enough to make a good sized shipment, they
consign it to a déaler or wholesale buyer. Of
course an extra profit has to be made along
the way when this plan is followed ; yet some-
times as much as $1.50 can be obtained for the
pelt of a large rabbit of good color say.a white
or a black Flemish Giant.

Another very good practice is growing up.
Furriers with large plants are advertising to
tan skins supplied by rabbit raisers and to
make them up into ladies’ and children’s fur
sets, men’s caps, gloves and so forth. This is
an excellent way in which to obtain a set of
furs cheaply. Twelve good sized skins will
make a large cape, with a high storm collar,
and a fair sized muff. The price for tanning
the skins and making up this set, including a
lining of Skinner satin is quoted as $12.00. A
fur cap such as farmers delight to wear can
be made from four skins at a cost of $4.00.
The same price is charged for making up a
pair of fur gloves with gauntlets and lining
them with heavy fleece. These gloves have

RABBIT FURS—THEIR VALUE 139°

horsehide palms and require five skins to
make. It is very probable that this branch
of the industry will be extended. It will ap-
peal especially to amateurs who taise only a
few animals. Of course the skins will not be
those of the best stock, for good breeders are
worth much more than their meat and fut.

Naturally rabbit skins will never have a
value equal to that of the high class fur bear-
ing animals. For a long time, though, they
have brought much more than their original
price when sold undér some such name as
Electric Seal, Nearseal, or Coney.

The whole skins are used for making up
these cheap furs, but the hat makers use only
the hair, which is cut off, then ground, and put
through a process which produces the felt of
masculine head gear. It is to this market that
rabbit keepers in general should look for their
profits in the long run. An almost unbeliev-
able quantity of rabbit skins designed solely,
for hat making have been brought from Aus-
tralia in the past. The skins of rabbits raised
in America are just exactly as good for the
purpose. It is only a question of getting large
enough lots to tempt the buyers.

140 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

On the Pacifc coast there are many women
who engage in the keeping of rabbits either
commercially or as a side line. Some of these
women have learned how to cure and tan the
hides, and are making up fur garments, either
for their own use or to sell. It is not difficult
to learn to do this work, and there is always a
sale for the furs, even though the price is not
high. The skins are easily cut to the right
shape by being tacked to a flat board, the pat-
tern then being marked out on them with a
pencil. A sharp knife is used to make the
cutting, being preferable to scissors. If the
cutting is not made very deeply and the pieces
are pulled apart, the hairs will not be cut, and
will have a better appearance. For sewing
the furs a baseball stitch or an over and over
stitch is used, the seam being then pressed flat.
The edges can be finished by running a piece
of cloth around them, turning it over and fas-
tening it firmly to a thin piece of cotton over
the skin. Of course any kind of lining can be
used. It seems as though this might prove a
profitable industry for women, especially if
furs continue to remain as popular as they are
now.

noes,

RABBIT FURS—THEIR VALUE 14r

Doubtless more attention will be paid by
women doing this work to the production of
rabbits especially valuable for fur. That
means those in solid colors, for when rabbit
skins are dyed, they do not wear so well, per-
haps because the dye rots them. Such breeds
as the Himalayan, the English, the Black and
the White Flemish, the New Zealand, the
Blue Imperial, the Checkered Giant and the
Silver can be used without being dyed. The
so-called Siberian hare is considered espe-
cially valuable when black furs are wanted
because of the even color. Some black rabbits
have patches of brown which reduce their
value.

If the skins are to be salable, they must be
obtained when they are in the best condition.
During a molt, of course, they are worthless,
unless a market can be found for them at a
glue factory. The skins are at their best in
the winter, of course, say between October and
March, and rabbits which are kept in out-of-
door hutches are apt to develop a better qual-
ity of fur than those which are housed in
warmer quarters.

Getting off the pelt is not a difficult matter

142 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

after one has had a little experience. Some-
times they are removed “cased” and sometimes
they are split down the middle so they can be
taken off flat. Cased skins are preferred when
they are to be sold to fur makers. To go about
removing the skins, hang up the rabbit as soon
as it has been killed, attaching cards to the
heel tendons of the back feet. When dressing
the animals for meat and considering the skins
of but little value, the rabbit keeper usually
makes a cut down the belly the whole length
of the skin. When the pelt is to be removed
whole, more careful work must be done. First
cuts are made down the inside of the hind legs
and to the base of the tail. This cut should
extend across the vent and the tail itself should
be slit. The skin is cut around the legs just
above the toes, although sometimes when the
feet are especially good the toes and nails are
left on. Then with a good strong pull the skin
can be rolled down over the body and pulled
over the head wrong side out. Sometimes
certain ligaments will hold the skin, but can
be cut away with the knife. Of course it will
be necessary to cut off the forefeet. Then
whatever adhering flesh or fat may be seen

RABBIT FURS—THEIR VALUE 143

should be removed with the knife. After a
little practice this work can be done quickly
and easily.

The next step is to cure the skins, which is
done by covering the flesh side carefully with
salt and letting them stand for three or four
days in order that all the moisture shall be
dried out. It is best to keep them in a fairly
cool place. Then the skins will be ready for
tanning. This work is made easiest by using
a commercial tanning preparation, such as
may be advertised under the name of Easy-
tan or something of the kind. The cost is little,
and results are almost certain to be satisfac-
tory. However it is quite possible to make
one’s own tanning mixture. A formula which
has been found to work well is made up as
follows: |

5 gallons of water
4 pounds of common salt
2 ounces of fluid sulphuric acid.

The salt is first dissolved in the water and
then the acid added, care being taken not to
inhale any of the fumes. As the acid will eat
into metal, it is best to use a wooden or fibre
tub or bucket.

144 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

It will be found advantageous to wash the
skins thoroughly before they are put into the
tanning mixture, using lukewarm water and a
little soap, with perhaps some ammonia added.
The skins will need to remain in the tanning
fluid for from one to three weeks. When
properly cured they should show white when
stretched over the fingers. It is important to
wring out all the moisture possible after tan-
ning has been completed, and to dry the pelts
in the open air, but in a shady place. Then
they may be stretched with the hands or
rubbed over the edge of a table or a board to.
make them soft and pliable. They should not
be absolutely dry for several days, this stretch-
ing and working being undertaken in the
meantime. A properly tanned skin should be
both soft and white. If either condition is
lacking, it indicates that it was not left in
pickle long enough.

Sometimes furs are greasy and never will be
satisfactory unless cleaned, no matter how well
they may be tanned. If cleaning is needed it
can be done with gasoline or benzine.

Occasionally it. is found advisable to work
a little Neatsfoot oil into the skin after it is

RABBIT FURS—THEIR VALUE 145

dried, to keep it soft. Sometimes yellow ochre
is mixed with the Neatsfoot oil to impart a
shade of tan to the skin.

In France skins are turned inside out and
carefully filled with hay or straw and then
hung up in the sun or in a current of air to dry
and cure.

When arrangements have been made with a
furrier or hat maker to take one’s pelts, it may
not be necessary to tan them. If they are dried
and then packed in a tight box containing
moth balls or naphthaline until a considerable
number have been obtained, they will keep in
good condition.

Chapter XV.

WHEN RABBITS ARE OUT OF
CONDITION

HERE would be few ailments among

rabbits if the animals were always kept

in clean, sanitary quarters, free from
dampness and not over crowded, and if they
were not fed too heavily. In other words,
nearly all of the troubles which develop
among rabbits are due to improper care, or
perhaps I should say, to lack of care. The
two most common ailments are snuffles and
slobbers.

Slobbers.—Slobbers most commonly devel-
ops among young animals, especially those
which are in crowded hutches and which are
overfed with green stuff. Undoubtedly it is
the cause of greater mortality among young
rabbits than anything else. Slobbers is par-
ticularly likely to appear between the ages of
four and six months or just as the youngsters

146

RABBITS OUT OF CONDITION 147

are weaned. Its presence is indicated by wet
fur around the mouth, and matted fur under
the chin. Usually, too, the front feet are found
with matted hair where the animal has rubbed
the drool from its mouth.

Salt is commonly considered the best cure.
Sometimes it is rubbed on the feet and into
the mouth. A pinch of salt may be added to
amash. Often a piece of rock salt placed in
the hutch will be licked. The use of cooked
food for a few days is recommended. Of
course all green food should be withdrawn.
One remedy recommended consists of a few
drops of muriatic acid in the drinking water.
There should be just enough to make the water
taste slightly tart. Twenty drops of a mixture
comprising spirits of nitre and spirits of ju-
niper in equal parts is another remedy. It is
to be given two or three times a day in a little
water.

Snuffles.—No other trouble which develops
in a rabbitry is more common than snuffles,
although exactly what is meant by this name
is a question upon which rabbit keepers do not
agree. Some consider it nothing more than a
severe cold, while others. call it a pulmonary

148 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

and chronic disease. In any rabbitry where
the animals are heard to be continually sneez-
ing and are to be seen rubbing their noses with
their paws, trouble of this kind is to be sus-
pected. One should go slow in buying rabbits
from such a place. There is a constant dis-
charge of mucous which is carried to the feet
and causes the hair to become badly matted
and wet.

The first step towards a cure is to keep the
animals in the open air. Indeed, snuffles is
not likely to develop where the ventilation is
perfect, unless the hutches set on the ground
or become damp from some other cause. The
writer once had a large number of young ani-
mals kept indoors afflicted with snuffles. Al-
though it was winter, he fenced in a consider-
able piece of ground outside, provided large
boxes filled with straw for the animals to
burrow in, and turned the rabbits loose in this
enclosure. Within a few weeks, all of the
trouble had disappeared, and the rabbits were
as frisky and as happy as a rabbit well can be
There is this to remember, that snuffles, while
easily eradicated at the start, is very hard to
get rid of after it becomes well established.

RABBITS OUT OF CONDITION 149

The remedy most commonly recommended
is tincture of aconite, to be given in drinking
water or in milk. Three drops to a quart is
about the right proportion. Bluestone sprink-
led over the oats has been recommended, and
often an antiseptic is used for cleaning the
nostrils, something like Wick’s salve, which
one rabbit judge endorses, being used in pre-
ference to a solution of carbolic acid or any-
thing of that kind. Hike antiseptic is also
used for this purpose: An English breeder
recommends dropping eucalyptus oil on the
sawdust on the floor of the hutch. The paws
as well as the nostrils should be kept clean.
Sometimes a cold runs into pneumonia which
is usually fatal.

Ear Canker.—This is a somewhat common
trouble, especially among the larger breeds
and in commercial rabbitries. It is indicated
by a scab on the inside of one or both ears.
The scab is produced by a small insect which
bores into the flesh. It is not a difficult trouble
to contend with, and usually can be eradicated
by using a few drops of some ear canker
remedy, of which several kinds are on the
market. It is well to remove the scabby sub-

150 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING

stance with a somewhat pointed but blunt
stick. Lukewarm water will aid in removing
this incrustation. Vaseline is also used. A
soft sponge should then be used to wash out
the ear. Boric acid is sometimes applied after
the ear has been cleaned, and proves a suffi-
cient remedy if repeated daily for some time.
Pot Belly.—Over-feeding, and especially
the feeding of green stuff, is the cause of pot
belly, which often appears in young rabbits,
especially those under three months old. The
trouble is indicated by the distention of the
stomach. Naturally the first step in relieving
the rabbit is to stop giving green food. In-
deed, it is wise to withhold all food for twenty-
four hours. In a bad case a small dose of
castor oil may be of benefit. An occasional
drink of scalded milk may be given. Flowers
of sulphur is considered a remedy, a pinch
being put into the oats each day. If pot belly
is allowed to continue it will kill the rabbits,
but is not likely to develop at all if but little
green food is given the youngsters.
Paralysis.—It is hard to tell just what
causes paralysis, and it is very difficult to deal
with. In fact, no cure is known when the

RABBITS OUT OF CONDITION 1s1

trouble is well established. It is best to kill
any animals which develop paralysis, the
trouble being indicated by a lack of ability to
control the hind quarters, which are dragged
around the hutch.

Diarrhoea and Constipation.— While these
ailments are not common, they sometimes oc-
cur as a result of feeding too much green stuff
after the rabbits have been confined to grain
and hay, or from a total lack of such rations.
They are easily dealt with. Naturally the
amount of green stuff can be reduced when
diarrhoea develops, and hot milk may be
given. A condition of constipation can usually
be. remedied by feeding more green stuff.

Skin Troubles and Insects.—There will be
little annoyance from these sources if the hut-
ches are kept clean. Sometimes mange de-
velops, and it occasionally happens that ver-
min infest the coats. The initial step is to
clean out all filth and to keep the hutches san-
itary and well aired. If the sun can shine into
them a part of each day, so much the better.
Some kind of mange cure can be tried, and
in summer a mixture of sulphur and lard may
be applied.

152 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING ©

Coccidiosis.— Probably much mortality
among rabbits for which the owners can find
no reason is due to this trouble, which is
caused by parasites which are pretty certain to
develop wherever there is an accumulation of
filth which is not promptly removed. Perfect
cleanliness i is a certain preventive. One objec-
tion to the stacking of hutches in tiers is the
increased danger that they will not be kept
clean. Urine sometimes seeps through the
floors into the hutch below. The reason that
rabbits cannot be kept safely for more than a
short time in an outdoor yard with an earth
bottom is because of the trouble likely to be
experienced by the presence of coccidia when
the ground becomes foul.

Tey 24} UO ps0ojey Jaquiny sJa4s13ay

APPENDIX
RABBIT AND HARE SOCIETY OF CANADA

HE rabbit keepers of Canada have an

i organization which is somewhat differ-

ent from the National Association in
the United States. It is called the Rabbit and
Hare Society of Canada. Its headquarters are
at Hamilton, Ontario, and the Secretary and
Treasurer, who is also the registrar, is J. E.
Peart, of that city.

Animals to be registered are not submitted
for examination, but pedigrees in duplicate
are sent to the registrar, where, if they are
found to be honest and correct, one copy is
filed for reference and the other returned to
the owner. Sub-societies can be organized in
any part of the Dominion, and can hold exhi-
bitions and award prizes by obtaining permis-
sion from the supreme society.

The registration fees for Pedigrees are as
follows:

I pedigree, 25 cents.

153

154 APPENDIX

4 pedigrees, 50 cents.
Each additional pedigree, 10 cents.

When a registered and pedigreed rabbit
dies it is the duty of the owner of said dead
rabbit to notify the registrar, giving the num-
ber of ear tag, name, etc., that a record may
be kept for future reference.

Any member of the Rabbit or Hare Society
of Canada by sending 10 cents in stamps or
cash may ask for and receive a copy of any
pedigree or other information from the head
office.

Any person, either in Canada or the United
States, may by sending Five Dollars, and fur-
nishing satisfactory evidence of honesty and
fair dealing to the head office, become a mem-
ber of the Rabbit and Hare Society of Canada,
and be entitled to all the rights and privileges
it affords. .

It is provided that any member of the Rab-
bit and Hare Society found guilty of misrep-
resentation of pedigrees or any dishonest deal-
ing in rabbits or hares, shall be expelled from
said Society and all the members of the Society
shall be notified of such expulsion.

‘APPENDIX 155

WEIGHTS OF RABBITS TO BE REGISTERED

At its annual meeting in 1919, the National
Breeders’ and Fanciers’ Association fixed the
weights necessary for registration for the

various breeds as follows:

Belgian bucks under five and one-half pounds
not eligible.

Belgian does under six pounds not eligible.

Flemish bucks under ten pounds not eligible.

White and black bucks under nine pounds not
eligible.

Flemish does under eleven pounds not eligible.

Black and white does under ten pounds not
eligible.

Gray bucks under eleven pounds not eligible.

Gray does under twelve pounds not eligible.

New Zealand bucks under seven pounds not
eligible.

New Zealand does under eight pounds not
eligible.

Checkered Giant bucks under ten pounds not
eligible.

Checkered does under eleven pounds not
eligible.

American blue bucks under eight pounds not
eligible.

American blue does under nine pounds not
eligible.

156 ‘APPENDIX

Angoras under six pounds not eligible.

Dutch three pounds and over; five pounds and
under.

English, three pounds and over; seven pounds
and under.

Havanas, over three pounds not eligible.

Himalayan, over two and a half, and under five.

Imperials, over four and under seven.

Polish, under four pounds.

Silver grays, fawns or browns, four to six
pounds.

Tans, blacks or blues, three to four pounds.

American blue giants, bucks eight pounds and
over; does nine pounds and over.

English Lops, bucks nine pounds; does ten
pounds; ears over sixteen inches in length; ears
over five inches in width.

A rabbit to qualify for registration should be
strong in at least two sections.

The strong and weak points should be specified
on the certificate of registration.

LIST OF REGISTRARS

The following is the list of the registrars in
the various parts of the United States, as it
existed when this book went to press. Rabbit
breeders desiring to have their rabbits regis-
tered can send them to the nearest member of

APPENDIX 157

the board:
Secretary C. H. Gibson, Detroit, Mich.
C. P. Gilmore, Santa Barbara, Cal.
Fred Rose, Grinnell, Iowa.
Rev. George W. Fuller, Florida.
Harry Carter, Tacoma, Washington.
Harry Simon, Indianapolis, Ind.
Louis Griffin, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Reed Storms, Kansas City, Mo.
F. C. Fairchild, Wichita, Kans.
R, A. Baird, Oklahoma City, Okla.
W. B. Campbell, Denver, Colo.
Homer Sanderson, Eagle Rock, Cal.
Wm, Yerkes, Houston, Texas.
Percy Rowland, Newcastle, Pa.
Jesse McCullough, North Louisburg, Ohio.
H. L. Thomas, Waco, Texas.
Boyd, Polk, Ohio.
H. J. Plegge, St. Louis, Mo.
Glen Barbour, Chelsea, Mich.
John Fehr, Indianapolis, Ind.
J. M. Gibson, West Alexander, Pa.
Geo. Nugent, San! José, Cal.
J. Needham, Seattle, Wash.
L. L. Whitmore, Akron, Ohio.
Oscar Hull, Tacoma, Wash.
H.C. Brown, Emporia, Kans.
A. E, Chapman, Topeka, Kans.
C. C. Hawley, Dallas, Texas.
F, A. Wilke, Boise, Idaho.

158 ‘APPENDIX

Louis Salisbury, Pasadena, Cal.
R. F. Foulke, Waynesboro, Pa.
T. P. Thompson, Harrisburg, Ii.
C. P. Denlea, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Edward Condon, Chicago, Ill.
George Eckert, Chicago, III.

A. G. Prather, Ukiah, Cal.

C, R. Pinneo, Omaha, Neb.
Frank Harris, Des Moines, Iowa.
W. H. Ashton, Dayton, Ohio.

F. C. Fidler, Syracuse.

Geo. E. Hilton, Oakland, Cal.
Andrew Wilson, Los Angeles, Cal.
R. E. Cushman, Sterling, Ill.
Ignatz Gruber, Fort Wayne, Ind.
G. W. Abbott, Newtonville, Mass.
A. M. Lewis, Terre Haute, Ind.
Ernest Haarer, Ann Arbor, Mich.
C. E. Church, Charlotte, Mich.
Farley, Birmingham, Ala.

Ernest Gernslager, Murphysboro, III.
Saylor, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Stegena, Grand Rapids, Mich.

H. M. Adolph, Cleveland, Ohio, Chairman,
GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE

The grievance committee of the National
Breeders’ and Fanciers’ Association was estab-

APPENDIX 159

lished to obviate unfair dealings, particularly
between buyers and sellers. The chairman is
H. N. Adolph, of 4231 Mapledale Avenue,
Cleveland, Ohio. The other members of the
committee are George W. Abbott, Newton-
ville, Massachusetts; R. C. Cushman, Sterl-
ing, Illinois; J. D. Lane, 2839 Terrace Ave-
nue, Kansas City, Kansas; George W. Hilton,
3615 Penniman Avenue, Oakland, California.
‘All complaints should be made to the nearest
member of the committee. In all mail trans-
actions, it is wise to save the envelopes which
help to obtain redress and enlist the assistance
of the federal authorities. Any member of the
National Association can take advantage of
the opportunity offered by the grievance com-
mittee.

BREEDING RECORDS

It is necessary to keep careful records when
breeding rabbits. Below is a sample record.
It can be obtained printed on cardboard, size
3x6, at the rate of one cent each, from supply .
houses.

160 APPENDIX

BREEDING RECORD

NO. NAME STRAIN
Dat No. of | No. of No.
SERVED BY sowed | Texts | Ba | Young | ‘Witer | weanea

WHAT LOP EAR IS

Amateur rabbit keepers are often puzzled
by a condition known as lop ear in which one
and sometimes both ears of the rabbit hang
down to one side and seem beyond the rabbit’s
control. It is usually caused by hot weather
or by very close confinement. It is, of course,
a disqualification and bars the animal from
the show room. Naturally this does not apply
to the lop-eared breeds.

DEWLAP
The dewlap is a peculiar growth which may

appear under the chin of Belgian hares, Flem-
ish Giants and New Zealand Reds. Breeders

APPENDIX 161

are trying to eliminate it and it occasions a cut
in the score when rabbits are being exhibited.
The presence of a dewlap, however, does not
disqualify the rabbit for entrance unless it is
unusually large. In breeding to get rid of the
dewlap, bucks free from dewlap should be
used. The dewlap itself is a development of
glands and is accentuated in does by frequent
breeding.

MARKING RABBITS

The only possible way to keep track of pedi-
greed rabbits when they are being bred on
anything but a very small scale is to mark or
tag each individual. There are two ways of
doing this. One is to punch the ear and insert
a metal tag carrying a number and kept from
slipping out by means of a washer. The other
way is to tattoo a number on the inside of the
ear. This is done with a special instrument
obtained from the supply houses and indelible
ink. Each plan has its supporters. Of course
it is necessary to tag or mark the rabbits when
they are very young, or there is danger that
they will become mixed with other animals

162 APPENDIX
and their identification will be impossible.

RABBIT KEEPING LITERATURE

With the greatly increased interest in rabbit
keeping which has developed in the past few
years has come a corresponding increase in
rabbit literature. There are several periodi-
cals devoted to rabbits and other small stock.
The list includes the following:

Rabbit Craft and Small Stock Journal,

American Breeders’ Review, 132 Nassau
Street, New York City; 50 cents a year.

The National Breeders’ and Fanciers’ Mag-
azine, 335 Southeast Avenue, Oak Park, Illi-
nois, monthly, subscription, $1.00 a year.

Rabbit Craft and Small Stock Journal,
Lamoni, Iowa, monthly, subscription, 50
cents.

Outdoor Enterprises and Domestic Pets,
408 Admiral Boulevarde, Kansas City, Mis-
souri, monthly, subscription, $1.00.

American Breeders’ Review, 132 Nassau
Street, New York City; 50 cents a year.

Hares and Rabbits, Greenfield, Indiana,
monthly, subscription, $1.00.

APPENDIX 163

There are few books among those published. .
in America devoted wholly to rabbits except
those issued by breeders. The books most
commonly quoted are the following:

“Breeding and Care of Rabbits,” by Charles:
S. Gibson, published by Charles S. Gibson,
1045 West Warren Avenue, Detroit, Mich-
igan.

“Rabbit and Cavy Culture,” by W. F. Roth
and Charles T. Cornman, published by Item
Publishing Company, Sellersville, Pennsyl-
vania.

“Rabbit Breeders’ Ready Reference,” O. K..
Poultry Journal Co., Mounds, Oklahoma.

Other books are: “Commercial Rabbit
Farming,” published by Outdoor Enterprise
Company, Kansas City, Missouri; “Richey’s
Western Rabbit and Cavy Book,” published.
by the Monrovia Publishing Company, Mon-
rovia, California; “Raising Rabbits Right,”
published by the Pet Stock World, Baltimore,
Maryland. ‘A brief but excellent bulletin,
entitled “Raising Belgian Hares and Other
Rabbits” is issued by the United States De-
partment of agriculture at Washington, from
which it may be obtained without charge by

164. APPENDIX

‘writing for Farmer’s Bulletin Number 496.

THE STANDARDS OF PERFECTION

There is only one way to establish uniform-
ity in any breed of animals, and that is for
those who breed them to unite upon certain
characteristics and color markings as the ideal
to strive for. If this plan were not followed,
all breeders would be working along different
lines and nothing could be accomplished.
“There are organizations to foster the breeding
of all the leading breeds of rabbits. These
organizations are responsible largely for the
ideals which are determined upon, and which
‘constitute what are called the standards of per-
fection. It is to be understood, of course, that
-a rabbit which is one hundred per cent perfect
is not to be found in any breed. The ideal is
always kept a little ahead of what has been
‘achieved ; but with the standard to guide them
‘a remarkable uniformity is obtained by expert
‘breeders. As fast as new breeds are created
and become popular, a standard is fixed for
them. In each case the standard goes specifi-
cally into details covering weight, color mark-
‘ings, general conformation, and the like. By

APPENDIX 165

studying them, the amateur will be able to
judge the quality of the animals which he
owns, and to shape his plans in an effort to
improve his stock. The revised standard of
perfection has not been completed as this book.
goes to press but can be obtained as soon as
published from the Secretary of the National
‘Association, Charles §. Gibson, 105 W.
Warren Avenue, Detroit, Michigan.

INDEX

A
Advertising, 50, 115
Ailments, how to treat, 146
American Spotted Giants,
14, 29
Angoras, 15, 37
Argent de Champagne, 11

B
‘Belgian clares, 1, 9, 12, 42, 47
color of, 25
shape of, 26
Black Siberian Hares, 28
‘Blue Imperial Rabbits,
eolor of, 40
Bread and milk for does, 91
‘Breeding, age for, 98
best seasons for, 99
fancy stock, 116
how to induce, 100
methods outlined, 101
records, 159
stock, age of, 100
‘Breeds,
American Spotted Giants,
14
Angoras, 15, 37
Argent de Champagne, 11
Blue Imperials, 40
Dutch, 14, 31, 42
‘English, 13, 30

Flemish Giants, 13, 17

Giants, 27, 49

Himalayans, 13, 33, 43

Lop-eared, 10, 15, 32

New Zealand Reds, 15, 17,
34, 42, 47

Polish, 35

Silver Blues, 39

Silver Browns, 39

Silver Fawns, 39

Silver Grays, 38

Tans, 40

Cc

Cabbages, value of, 82
California, Rabbits in, 5, 18
Canada, Rabbit and Hare So-

ciety of, 153
Canning rabbit meat, 131
Carrots, food value of, 83
Children, rabbits for, 41
Common rabbits, 41
Cooking fabbits, 130
Cost of raising rabbits, 3

D
Demand for rabbits, 4
Dewlap, nature of, 160
Dogs, danger from, 76
Dressing rabbits, 128
Dutch rabbits, 14, 31, 42

166

INDEX

E
English rabbits, 13, 30
Europe, rabbits in, 11
Exhibiting, pleasures of, 115
Exhibitions, 24
preparing for, 116

¥F
Fancy rabbits, 6, 10, 12
breeding, 116
Farms, rabbit, 23
Feeding green stuff, 81
pregnant does, 91, 94
young rabbits, 44, 81, 92
Fighting, how to prevent, 78
Flemish Giants, 13, 17 ;
Foundation stock, importance
of, 116
Fur, 11
making garments from, 140
sources of, 136
uses of, 138
value of, 137

G

Giant rabbits, 26
American Spotted,29
Black Flemish, 28
Black Siberian, 28
crosses of, 49, 98
Gray Flemish, 27
Steel Gray Flemish, 27
White, 28

Grain, amount required, 93
variety in, 90

1167

Grievance Committee, 158

H
Hares, 9, 25
Hay, amount required, 93
character of, 91
Healthy rabbits, how to know,
52
Himalayan rabbits, 13, 33, 44
History of the breeds, 9
Hutches, character of, 55
for young stock, 72
indoor, 58
movable, 59
nest boxes in, 63
outdoor, 59, 66
self-cleaning, 60
size of, 56

I

In-breeding, meaning of, 106
result of, 108

K
Kale, curly Scotch, 87

L
Lifting rabbits, manner of, 77
Line-breeding, manner of, 107
Literature of rabbit keeping,
162
Litters, number of per year,
96
size of, 104
Lop ear, cause of, 162
Lop-eared rabbits, 10
English, 32
French, 15

168.

M

Marking, methods of, 161
Meat rabbits, 2, 22

age of, 127

demand for, 126 ,

how to dress, 128

how to market, 129
Morant system, the, 69

N
National Breeders’ and Fan-
ciers’ Association, 155
Nest boxes, 63, 102
New Zealand Red Rabbits,15,
17, 34, 42, 47
color of, 35
New Zealand spinach for fall
feeding, 88

O
Over-feeding, danger of, 94

P

Parsnips, food value of, 84
Pedigrees, how made, 122
Pelts, how to cure, 143

how to remove, 141
Pet rabbits, 7, 41
Polish rabbits, 35

grooming for

117
Potatoes, food value of, 88
Pot belly, cause of, 92

how to prevent, 150
Prices for average stock, 48
Purchasing stock, 51

by mail, 52

rales for, 123

exhibition,

INDEX

R
Rape for spring feeding, 87
Recipes, 131
Registering, cost of, 121
value of, 120
Registrars, list of, 156
Registration, rates for, 153

Ss ,
Salt. amount of, 94
Sanitation, how to secure, 75

need of, 75

Sex, how to determine, 53
Shipping, boxes for, 118
Silver Blues, 39
Silver Browns, 39
Silver Fawns, 39
Silver Grays, 38
Standards, 164
Stud book, necessity for, 106
Sunlight, protection from, 76

T
Table scraps, value of, 92
Tans, Black and, 40

Vv
Vegetables, how to feed, 88
raising, 83
storing, 85

WwW
Water needed daily, 94
receptacles for, 94
Witloof chicory, how to force,
85
Y
Yards, dog-proof 68
with floors, 71

: i
ses