| | posi nessinesectonenemuansin eeu semuatne gnaioisabtn de maseona BELGI AN HARES BTREE i /aiomnaanne aan nieNANONUNNAEMNMoRTNMDNTeMRAHEONNNTIES i ERLE Gopyright N° COPYRIGHT DEPOSI rey) hace AU Wate ty } ASAE Hiei iia a Esa Eas "ey ae Rei i oe, aUy hae Tuva hi Mt Hite it NY avi cS py ae gh Z = ston. opyright, 1901, by Purdy, Bo P. E. CRABTREE. ee GR Ss BELGIAN FLARE GOURSE OF INSTRU CT TON: EWEN Y LESSONS. COMPLETE DIRECTIONS FOR BUYING, SHELTERING, FEEDING, BREE D- ING. KILLING, SKINNING, DRESSING, CAPONIZING, COOKING, CURING AILMENTS, SCORING, EXHIBITING, JUDGING, SHIPPING, DEVELOPING A BUSINESS, ETC., WITH A TRUE HISTORY OF THE BELGIAN HARE AND ACTUAL ENPERIENCES OF BREEDERS, TOLD BLY THEMSELVES. Ss GS By P. E. CRABTREE. ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES FROM PHOTOGRAPHS SPECTALLY TAKEN BY THE AUTHOR, AND PROM OTHER SOURCES, REVISED 2 Din low: BOSTON, MANSS.: NEW ENGLAND BELGIAN WARE COMPANY, 1901. eu THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Two Copies Received APR. 3 1901 OPYRIGHT ENTRY Gg (Pol CLASS GUXXo, Ne. 25.0 COPY B, COP FRIGHT, 1900, BY THE NEW ENGLAND BELGIAN HARE COMPANY, COPYRIGHT, 1901, BY THE NEW ENGLAND BELGIAN HARE COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The illustrations in this work, as well as the work itself, are fully protected by copy- right. against infringement. All vights of reproduction in any form are reserved by us and will be protected NEW ENGLAND BELGIAN HARE COMPANY. eee e e eoefe 6 © coe ° eo @ e©fe © e oo eco e ee e @oeo @ ®©eo © e6ea ©0600 0 f o & of eo efe eco °5 e060 @ Cc) e egege 6 ° bay © e © eo 6 80% %58e a ne NUMBER OF THIS COURSE IS: (AE. Cratlee— SPECIAL NOTICE. We have designated by number the experiences furnished by breed- ers. We shall be glad to furnish a key giving the names of these breeders, with their addresses, on request from those who buy Belgian hares of us. : NEW ENGLAND BELGIAN HARE COMPANY. N An asta ae| CAITR) Pr ae fA Da auS RON Su ae Gen we ke cn NS fe if hel tat a AY IL Nes i IDG en e: nan, eh Me ta iS i Writes Va Ne Dae asi hus Si Neu) ' i ues ean Serial Ibn f Mihai) se eta var yin i Sl Ane ats a iron ala yi saa om hy aleaine PREFACE. THE ISSUANCE of this Course of Instruction is the re- sult of a conclusion arrived at by careful thought, brought about by a combination of circumstances and conditions ex- isting in America and Europe, such conditions receiving my personal inspection and most thorough investigation both here and abroad. The prime object of the work is the furtherance of one of the most practical and essential industries that has ever come to the notice of mankind, in that it is the source of a most delicious meat supply, a thing entirely indispensable- to the human race. It is truthfully said that of the three “necessaries of life” (food, clothing and shelter), the first is the prime one, and it is a well known fact that meat forms a major portion of the same. Since this be true, how necessary it be that the variety of which we partake be the most healthful and palata- ble, thus becoming transformed into pure blood, healthful muscle and active brain fibre to the end that we be capable of enjoying a happy existence, making the most out of every opportunity presented and leading a most prosperous and useful life, the memories and accomplishments of which will be perpetuated by future generations. It is needless for me here to enumerate the various kinds of meat foods partaken of by unsuspecting human “victims,” and their respective peculiar transmission of scrofula, tuber- culosis and cancer, their inducement of rheumatism, dropsy, Vill PREFACE dyspepsia and all such things, as are well known to the medi- cal and surgical professions to be the result, direct or indi- rect, of trying to transform with our assimilative organs dis- eased and unhealthful meat food into healthy human mech- anism. 5 How necessary it then becomes that our meat food be sup- plied by an animal that is dainty in appetite, cleanly in habit and free from disease. From this point of consideration springs the secret to the great pupularity of the Belgian hare as a meat producer for the great hospitals, hotels and clubs, where he is sufficiently known, throughout the length and breadth of the land. The economic and practical features of the animal as a meat producer were the reason of my early becoming inter- ested in its personal use and its introduction to the public. However, the fancy has long since been considered my life- work and since I have brought the Belgian hare so prominent- ly before the public within the past four years, enthusiasm is unbounded in its behalf, and one can see innumerable unre- liable, misleading and impractical articles and fables written on the subject, and numerous publications delving deep in extravagant statements regarding the industry, prices of in- dividual specimens and the Belgian’s possibilities as a fur producer. Such overdrawn statements are unnecessary, as the animal is amply able to stand on its honest merits, and a reaction follows as a reflection from overzealous, excitable persons who have dropped into the business intent on making a fortune in a year or two without work. This misstatement of facts concerning the little animal prompts me to sound a word of warning to the beginner in purchasing his stock of the dealer who spends more money in extravagant advertisements than he does in the purchase of the stock he sends you, and to “beware” of the advertise- ment that declares its proprietor to be the happy possessor of thousands of acres of hares in some unknown location, PREFACE IX and who has a string of “branch offices” established all over the universe. I mean nothing personal in the above remarks, and merely wish to advise beginners to buy of reliable dealers or directly of breeders, whose reputation has been established, that your personal satisfaction direct, will result indirectly to the betterment and advancement of the industry. My line of introduction of the hare was originally through organized effort, later through that and illustrated publica- tion, and lastly, when it required still more attention, to lec- ture and institute work, as well. Now it has reached that point where my personal attention is wanted in perhaps a dozen places at one and the same time, and that, coupled with a wrong impression regarding my In- stitute work, has determined me to issue this Course of In- struction, knowing that it will permeate local fields and touch places abroad that my limited time would not permit of me giving personal attention. It perhaps will be timely to state here that my work in the fancy is, has been and will be opposed by three classes of people, which I group under the following heads: (1) Ig- norance. It is noticeable that some people oppose my Insti- tute work who know absolutely nothing about it personally. That such is unjust I will prove by referring ones interested to my graduates throughout America, now numbering about 100, and the first complaint is yet to be heard from even one of them. (2) Jealousy. It is a lamentable fact that the life of some creatures in the form of human beings is devoted to trying to reach the “acme” of their calling by throwing every body else below their level, instead of by endeavoring to build themselves to the top. I don’t advise such course and there are but few people who admire it. (38) Unscrupulous dealing. It is plainly evident and most natural that wherever the edu- cational line of work on the Belgian hare goes it is op- posed by dealers who have sold, or wish to sell, inferior stock xX PREFACE at advanced prices. Nothing is more natural. I find that in hundreds of instances the practice of changing animals on the score card or selling elaborate, inflated score cards with a mongrel rabbit thrown in has been practiced to an alarming degree and that a course of Institute work in such a locality © is always welcomed by the conscientious breeders and is op- posed by unreliable parties who know that the stock misrep- resented by them will meet its “Waterloo” and that their lit- tle game is all over in that locality. In proof of this state- ment I advise people to watch the result of the work where I have gone and where I will go in the future. Take notice of the class of dealers who leave said localities and seek a new field, note that they next touch at a point where such educa- tional work has not yet been done, invariably, and also note the shifting of worthless stock and the demand for the high- clas type of animal that always follows in the locality of such instructions. I consider that the “cold water pouring” by the above three . separate and distinct classes of people coupled with my ina- bility to be “‘everywhere at the same time” is reason enough for me to get out a publication, at this date, which will intro- duce the industry in the same lines and set countless thous- ands on the right track, who would find it impossible to take a personal course of instruction at present. The truth is, that if poultry raising is practical and-profita- ble, Belgian hare raising is vastly more so, and I make this statement, not from the standpoint of one who speaks of what he knows not. for I have bred and exhibited 13 different breeds and varieties of fancy poultry, and am today a fancier of Barred Plymouth Rock poultry, Poland China swine, and Short-horn cattle, but Belgian hares are my specialty, as they produce the most delicious, most healthful and most econom- ic meat food in existence. Fraternally, P. E. CRABTREE. Denver, April, 1gor. CONTENTS PAGE. LHSSON ONE INDLRODUCTIONG ca asec cnet oe 1 ILD SISOIN) “ALWVOR JEMISMNOMENC Sas boidoowoddacocoamo cod boss 5 IDIDISISOIN| AM SURO, | IELOLY 4b ©) s BUMS aA nia de oogn Euan ded 17 IGISISTSOINE UNOWR, SEO DILHMDISIIN CDS 6 on usdaadoaceegunddaoeG 24 LESSON FIVE. EXPERIENCES IN SHELTERING..... 32 LESSON STX® SHOW TO PWD yi. cis ceed ers oe ote sn 48 LESSON SEVEN. EXPERIENCES IN FEEDING........ 55 LESSON HIGHT. HOW TO MATE..................... 83 LESSON NINE. EXPERIENCES IN MATING........... 85 LESSON TEN, HOW, TO CAPONIZB. 3 )).-. ci... Jig -o es 106 LESSON ELEVEN. THE MBHAT MARKET ............. 108 BESSON GE WHEVE., HOW) TO WOOK... fecccsce st. 117 LESSON THIRTEEN. HOW TO CURE AILMENTS.... 124 LESSON FOURTEEN. EXPERIENCHS IN CURING AIL- PVISEES IN ISS airs cezraycteoircigat aictio¥'es 3 isis suis, aursauensy 9.20 rs aypontoreie rapet sun eve eneiitate 128 LESSON FIFTEEN. HOW TO MARK AND RECORD.... 132 LESSON SIXTEEN. EXHIBITING..................... 135 LESSON SEVENTEEN. JUDGING—HOW TO SCORE... 142 LESSON HIGHTEEN. USEFUL HINTS.:.............. 179 LESSON NINETEEN. HOW TO DEVELOP ABUSINESS 191 LESSON TWENTY. FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY.... 198 THE SCORE CARD AT A GLANCE.................... 212 APPENDIX A. TO ENGLAND FOR BELGIAN HARES.. 213 APPENDIX B. BELGIAN HARE COLOR............... 227 APPENDIX C. BELGIAN HARE SHAPHE.............. 229 APPENDIX D. THE BELGIAN HARE INDUSTRY...... 230 ILLUSTRATIONS TITLE. PAGE. AUTHORIS PE ORMR Ald seit Rose keto 4) chair Frontispiece TEAS Yao SAY CINTEIVIIRY REY. os ct ars) capes, Svcs ies stespaprcvattmeeal nes Cees angi yaa 4 DUMBLETON, ENGLISH WILD HARE................. 14 Fy YEH) OY aS BN GEASN VON Ole dle eee ass a ee ee 22 ARN EEA DY (OND 1S DA CIUNIN INO Fh Mag a niniding blroiem Ge acgle ood e cals oon 28 SIMPLEST AND MOST COMPACT ARRANGEMENT OF TET ETS CEVHYS Be senepetcens nena cian an bar el annie ett yaaa a Me ues Faas ; 34 TYPE ORME HIE GTANGING! Orie cie cee eeciei le a oi siareretee ican tue 40 A LABOR SAVING HUTCH ARRANGEMENT........... 46 HAR THM RINWAREH DISEMUS =. cm eset cs sclacss sossnecn ieee 50 MEAN GEER ORUSEUA CIGAR ORG BEWAGY a jeter ns egeien ei sue ee rete) mcrae eee 52 SHEE DEH DD RIN ORD OAS ene cee cies es roi deere 54 Abed (ONY lei IVAN) INO, Zh oo Gcsusbognedobeasoumaseeood 60 VYIEH OF (BWW GEAINGN@ SN Beie e M een rs aistareacal tester a dota aie 70 ‘PYIP HOR BH GLAND IN ©) Gis «son sienecocncstasscoeticltevarmean eens 82 NEST OF YOUNG BELGIANS............ 0.000000 ee cues 90 TYE HF OR BET GIANGNO’S giieic cicuscin suntan ar ieee nine 102 A BELGIAN HARE PROPERLY DRESSED............. 112 ELO Wie TOM MEAT VAT By GAIN yee ies os eclale densielesuevens ieee 135 SCORING COLOR OF BODY AND SIDES............... 144 SCORN Gael ERB) ASW oer oy arch utiny Disa cast cis tuusymus) Gaui ialaaenne 150 SCORING SYMMETRY: OR BODY. 52.3. tees onesies 154 SCORING SYMMETRY OF FLANK AND RIB........... 158 SCORING SYMMETRY ‘OF BACK..................... 162 SCORING SYMMETRY OF LOINS.................... 166 SCORING SYMMETRY OF HBAD...................... 170 SCORING iHVAR Te AO TIN Gia yehe eeereceleden sep eyeuaiieyeneceley wre enceenen sts 174 SCORING) SIZMWO ER VWAR cas Gore cnsieele) 1c susicte) eter exenicneiereie cee 178 SCORING SEEAP IR): OB AVAR ica ctie veiclcistelcreyWeveuenabetameueyecetenelians 182 SCORING SIZE OF FRONT FERET..................05- 186 SCORING SHAPE OF FRONT FERET................... 190 SCORING COLOR OF HIND FERET..................... 194 SCORENG aE En N EC Ke vsciste pojsouernienetierie)« sieveieretereyeer sole 198 FULL VALUE OF EACH REQUIREMENT.............. 204 WIA, ClUAtcooosoonponncooKoanoDdGsbeodbodasudoDUKGS 208 BREEDING CERTIFICATE. ........... 0.0 cece cece eee 210 Ae ae é ie * ” brie ¥ a ae ay elit H ‘ Sheehy : Uri f re tes oe j cert ie Auer if j Rite Botte aan eah SOMA Meniires Gaia tt at ay / Rea in ig) sek i rede iene am) a is eps ‘ ey ¢ Spite dif Ose Pale | ' ; z ria J hy , aera i Agito RNR | if aN, Aah ae oe = att: UNA Melt mod Opa 0 ees Pe Dies AIS ID aaa BST eal ig ET) ay nt i LESSON ONE. INTRODUCTION. NEED of instruction in the breeding of Belgian hares is apparent to all, whether beginners, dealers, or those breeders who, by experience more or less costly, have learned what might have been theirs at the start, had not the industry then been in a new and unformed state. The ground has been gone over by so many that it would be a pity if the beginner could not have the benefit of their experiences, In compiling this Course of twenty lessons, the plan has been to secure a reliable, authoritative and indispensable guide for all breeders of Belgian hares, whether beginners or not, The Belgian has made great progress in this country, but it should not be forgotten that the industry had its birth in Europe, and it is principally to the breeders of England that we must look for the most trustworthy advice concerning the care of rabbit stock. The rearing of rabbits has been com- mon in England for many vearg; there are gray-headed men in that country who have raised prize rabbits all their lives, - and their fathers have raised before them, and in this Course of Instruction these practical English breeders have been ap- pealed to freely. As the Belgian hare is a rabbit, and as all rabbits have practically the same nature, and thrive on the same food, and by the same methods of feeding, the com- piler feels that no apology is needed for giving students the material furnished by the best English breeders. As the climatic and other conditions in this country are different from England’s, greater space in this Course is given to the American breeders and their ways, and we think this fea- 2 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS ture will be found of especial value to the American breeder who is starting in the industry. The credit for the commer- cial development of the Belgian is to be given to this coun- try, and as that side of the subject is of greatest importance, a special effort has been made to make the Course practical and of interest to those who wish to raise Belgians for profit, as well as to those who desire merely to raise pet or purely exhibition stock. It has been stated by persons of limited observation and experience that there is considerable disagreement as to the proper food, mating and judging of Belgians, but this is not so. When the views of the experienced breeders are col- lected and compared, as they are in this Course, there is found to be no essential disagreement, except in minor mat- ters. In this Course the student will find a method of hand- ling which cannot fail to be successful. Every student, if he is encouraged to become a breeder, should make up his mind tc help himself by helping others. He should join with other breeders and strive to further tre advancement of the industry in every way. Belgian hare associations in every section of the United States either are formed or are being formed, end the member is sure of tind- ing companionship, and of receiving and giving information that will be of value. The quicker the industry is put on a solid footing, the better for all concerned. We shall be pleased to hear from breeders, and to know their experiences, and to add such experiences to future is- sues of this Course, if any new points of value are brought out. Climate and food stuffs vary with latitude and longi- tude, and information bearing on these points will be grate- fully received. FORWY iat Foal «ext Ni meth ve any Nd H. eee 5 SA A we o ni fey an ee. ¢ it - i tl r a a ra v \ 7 ) = poe rae : _ 7 iv " 7 nis owe ly Pre i ; ] oe a) a i i Lod : : ’ 7 J ' “aie iy esa aD ees Photograph by the Author. Copyright, 1901, by the New England B. H. Co. LADY SYMMETRY. This illustrates the idealin shape. Note the racy body, straight front feet, arched back, ear carriage, proportion of head, bold eye and firm breast. This stuffed medelis used by the author with his classes in the Ameri- ean Institute. LESSON TWO. HISTORY. THE BELGIAN hare is not a hare, but a rabbit. It has an outward resemblance to the hare in the respects of size ,and color of fur. The size is large and “racy’ and the fur is a similar sandy tinge, but there the likeness ends. The young of the hare are born perfect, with eyes open and fur on their bodies. The young of the Belgian, like the young of other rabbits, are born shapeless, blind, and almost naked. The wild hare gives birth to its young in a “form” on the surface of the ground. The rabbit gives birth under- ground, just as the Belgian would if many generations of captivity and nest littering had not almost obliterated its burrowing tendencies. Its was supposed that the Belgian was a cross between the hare and the rabbit, but that supposition was demonstrated to be wrong by careful experiments in mating at zoological gardens in France and England. Young were born from such mating of the hare and the rabbit, but they were mules, and consequently sterile. It is quite certain that the Belgian was originated in the early part of the 18th century by some students of nature, who set about producing a handsome and practicable domestic ani- mal. Taking the wild animals they combined the good quali- ties of each, one variety for color, another for size and still another for shape, making it a point to avoid undesirable feat- ures. They produced an animal to their liking, which they called a leporine. From the time of its first production the leporine drops out of sight until the middle of the 19th century, when it made its appearance in England, presumably being b) CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS taken there from Belgium. At first it was bred more for its meat, but later people began to admire it for its beauty of shape, and a discussion arose as to what the proper standard should be. In 1882 the English breeders succeeded in agreeing upon certain points which were formulated and published as the standard. We will call that the original Belgian hare standard. The animal was not known as a Belgian hare much before then. The real Belgian hare fanciers date from this time and their stated obiect was to ‘produce an animal with the appearance of the beautiful English hare and having the easy-breeding qualities of the rabbit. Englishmen who bred for quantity of meat alone, leaving out of their calculations quality of meat and beauty of animal, settled upon the Flem- ish Giant rabbit. If today you take a Flemish Giant and cross it with the Belgian hare, and thoroughly mix the strains you obtain about the same animal, in size, quality, color, etc., as existed under the name leporine. I have met these animals in various parts of the country, notabiy while holding my Boston class in January, 1901, and the fact that they are lepor- ines is quite unmistakable. One of my Boston pupils told me he had bought some from a breeder who represented them as Belgian hares. In body color they were distinguishable at a glance from the Belgian, being of a light grayish cinnamon color, with little or nothing of the true rufous red, and having little or no body ticking, and almost no ear lacing. There was some black in their fur, but it was not ticking, which is the black ends of the hairs, but rather the middle of the hairs, and nothing like what the standard calls for. By condensing the fur between the hands, it is easy to see that an animal of this description has no ticking, for the condensed patch of fur shows no black as it always does in the case of a Belgian with true ticking. When I was judging the San Diego, Cal., show in 1900, the president of the club informed me that he was about to receive an importation of real Belgian hares from Belgium. When they arrived, they proved to be the leporines above described, being a cross between a Flemish Giant and a Belgian. They were of a dull grayish color with ticking on their front feet clear down to their toenails and would not score either as Flemish Giants or Belgian hares. I advised the importer to .ad- vertise them as leporines. I know that quite a number of these leporines have come over from Belgium and purchasers of Bel- gian hares should be on their guard lest they are deceived by HISTORY 4 ignorant breeders. No sooner had the standard been formulated in 1882 in Eng- land than there arose differences of opinion which found their expression in continuous discussion, and berore long all the fanciers were dissatisfied with the standard. The discussion was kept up for seven years, until 1889, when there occurred a revision. The revised standard called for a Belgian more like the English wild hare, more racy in shape than the breeders had been producing, and ticked more like the wild hare, the ticking being distributed in waves. Other points settled upon were a bold eye, greater leneth of limb, no ticking whatever on either front limbs, ears or hind feet andonlyasmallamount on the head. The real life of the fancy, begun with the adop- tion cf this standard, was stimulated by its revision and has grown constantly since 1889. About 1888, Mr. E. M. Hughes of Albany, N. Y., now dead, brought the first Belgian hare to America and devoted the rest of his life to its introduction into the United States, as best he could. Shortly after Mr. Hughes’ importation there took place the first, organized attempt at introducing the Belgian into this country, by the formation of the American Belgian Hare as- sociation, with Mr. W. N. Richardson of Troy N. Y., as secre- tary. From the best information I can gather, the efforts of the club extended over a period of only one year. Although started in a liberal spirit, and with the best of intentions it became disorganized on account of the wide scattering of the membership making it difficult to obtain a quorum at meet- ings. The credit for the foundation of the fancy should be given to Messrs.Hughes and Richardson and Mr. G. W. Felton of Barre, Mass. Messrs. Hughes and Felton were the original ex- hibitors and Mr. Richardson the original publisher. The lat- ter’s publication was known as The Rabbit. These three fos- tered the fancy industriously and creditably. The Belgians which they bred.and wrote about were exhibited at poultry shows in New York and Boston. In 1897 occurred the second organized effort of the fancy at introducing the Belgian. It was in the nature of the formation of a National Belgian Hare Club of America, with headquar- ters at Denver, Col., myself being elected secretary. We took the standard as we got it from Mr. Hughes. We were con- fronted with many difficulties, first of which was the exact definition of “rich rufous red.’ When we came to ticking, the 8 CRABTREER’S INSTRUCTIONS standard said “‘plentiiul and rather wavy,’ Lut did not say what it was. We gave it the best thought of which we were capable and decided to import of pair through Mr. Hughes. He referred me to Mr. J. I. Lawrence of Worcester, Mass., who had furnished us with a great deal of the history of the Bel- gian. I asked Mr. Lawrence who was the winner of first prize on buck, first on doe, second on buck and second on doe at the Crystal Palace shows in England in 1896 and 1897. Mr. Law- rence replied that he could not tell, but that if I would write to Mr. Ernest Wilkins, Wantage, Styles & Howe, Banbury, and A. J. Kilby, also of Banbury, England, I would probably learn the information I was seeking. To the three letters which I sent, I received three answers, two from Mr. Kilby, stating that two firms of English breeders (Styles & Howe and A. J. Kilby) had combined, with Mr. Kilby as manager. Both he and Mr. Wilkins defined rufous red as ‘‘a cherry red with golden shade.’’ In further correspondence, I asked Messrs. Kil- by and Wilkins about the various points of the standard. We found out what ticking was. We became much interested and Mr. A. W. Gilman of Denver made up his mind he was going to have a fine pair of imported Belgians, and invested $100. Soon after, Mr. Gilman obtained the buck. Champion Yukon, called a champion because he had won at least five first prizes under at least three different judges. In Champion Yukon and his mate we had a good object lesson in color, ticking and shape. Mr. H. A. Stearns, then of Salt Lake City, imported shortly after that a fine lot of Belgians from England. We considered then, as we nave since, that the terms in which the standard was expressed were not explicit enough. The disqualifications (lopped or fallen ears, decidedly wry front feet, white bars on front feet and wry tail) we arranged in a paragraph and placed at the top of the standard. In re- gard to qualifications we took 100 as the sum of perfection. The 100 points we covered by 29 specific requirements. These 29 specific requirements are covered by a special list of four re- quirements—size, shape, color and quality—of the various sec- tions of the animal. I arranged a score card tabulating the 29 different require- ments in accordance with the terms of the standard and this score card was adopted by the national organization and is now in general use. The score card is simply the standard sub-divided, and in a comprehensive form. A judge who uses the score card simply jots down with a pencil the estimates HISTORY 9 which a comparison judge makes but keeps in his head, where they cannot be seen. The score card is an index to every part of the Belgian, and the judge must be able to give a reason for the estimate which he makes and their records, inthe 29 blanks provided. As I will demonstrate in detail further along in these lessons, this manner of estimating the worth of a Belgian is of absolute preciseness. A score card judge, judging the same Belgian twice on the same day, even if a dozen animals mean- time disturb his memory, will arrive at the same result. It is impossible to rely on memory when using the score card, and this in a great measure safeguards the reliability of the score. Men’s judgments may differ, but not a man’s judgment of the same Belgian, conditions being equal. I have found in my classes that when the judge understands the standard thor- oughly, and is taught to arrive at a certain conclusion always by the same mental route, his estimate of a Belgian will differ little or not at all from mine. and seldom more than one-half of one percent, even in classes which have been learning only 10 days and started with the members absolutely green. The score card is mathematically precise when once the judge’s mind and method are educated, and I know there are dozens of my graduates all over the country who, if the same hare were offered them in rotation, would score it without a varia- u0on of more than one-half a point On the other hand, I know of comparison judges who differ as much as eigut points in their estimates of a Belgian under discussion. In conceiving the terms of the standard, and in talking or writing about them, never mix the terms sections, require- ments and points. Never mix your language in expressing your meaning by the words defect and disqualification. A disqualification prevents an animal from competing in the show room and deprives it of a score card in all instances. Never score a Belgian which has one or more disqualifications. A defect is punishable on the score card. A section of an animal is a particular location on that ani- mal. A requirement is a necessary feature of some sec.on of the animal. A point is one of the units which constitute the ideal animal. In the lesson on scoring, I will go into the details. My object in this lesson is to give simply a bird’s eye view of the subject. This standard should be firmly fixed in the mind, for it is 10 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS the foundation of the Belgian hare business. It is like a foot rule with which a man starts to build machinery. If foot rules were of different lengths, cbjects made by one workman would not fit into places constructed by others, and chaos would result. If each section of the country had its own way of measuring, or judging, Belgian hares, then claims, terms, price-lists, arguments, etc., would not mean the same, and ambiguity and decention would follow. DISQUALIFICATIONS—1. Lopped, or fallen, ears. 2. White front feet or white bar or bars on same. 3. Decided- ly wry front feet. 4. Wry tail. Note: A specimen should have the benefit of any doubt. COLOR—Rich rufous red (not dark, smudgy color) car- ried well down sides and hindquarters, and as little white un- DEM WNaAWiSh (aASe 0 SST] Crepes cus cea cosa eaeca eerie ae ceeth ese is 2 TICKING—Rather wavy appearance and plentiful.... 15 SHAPE—Body long, thin, well tucked up flank and _ well ribbed up; back slightly arched; loins well rounded, not choppy; head rather lengthy; muscular chest; tail straight, not screwed; altogether of a racy appearance.......... 20 EARS—Five inches long, thin, well-laced on tips and as far down outside edges as possible; good color inside and eutsidesand: qwelli Set. omeincod sarasota 10 SIZE Hi Sht aD OUMS) Maree sree edo chloe nena eee eee 5 EYES—Hazel color, iarge, round, bright and bold.... 10 LEGS AND FEET—FPore feet and legs long, straight, slender, well colored and free from white bars; hind feet MSH yell exooreerel LYS OSIM oo oc reese bu Bos eddaumeoddmauas 10 CONDITION—Not fat. but flesh firm like that of a race- horse mandy soodnauMalityacof shulten ae sees sees iane ace eoeecaeneta = 5 Wilt iOW ty DIE WiILSA Pe x5 oi creke oxctenoes lene ears 5 Tp AN aa cate sae ohne at ea Wrest ey se OU te ea aga Gee Lead ye ea 100 It will be noticed that in expressing the standard in the above terms, I have eliminated the word ‘about’ in two places. The ears should be at least five inches long. (There is no punishment for excess in length.) The size should be eight pounds. (No punishment for excess in weight, as such. If an animal is too fat. the sections to be punished are those encroached upon, as will be explained later.) By ticking is meant the black ends of the hairs. If we examine a hair from the back of a Belgian, we will find the end tipped with black. So when the ticking has a wavy appearance and is plentiful, as the standard calls for, the HISTORY ii animal has a blackish, as well as a tawny appearance, the black being distributed in waves. You might think of the waves of the ocean having a red body, with a black surface where they break. The “whitecaps” of the waves of the coat of the Belgian are black. Get that picture fixed in your mind and you will have no difficulty in understanding what “ticking” is, and how it should look. As to dewlap, Shakespeare, you remember, said: “On her withered dewlap pour the ale,” giving a burlesque refer- ence to the flesh upon the human throat when flaccid, or flabby, with age. As usually applied, dewlap means the pendulous skin under the neck of the ox, which laps or licks the dew, in grazing. If a specimen has any one of the four disqualifications men- tioned, it is not good for breeding and therefore is regarded as worthless, good only for meat and hide, and not worth judging for points. Wry (twisted, distorted) front feet o1 tail would be reproduced in the progeny. The striking features of the Belgian are the hare-like shape and the rufous eolor. The term “rufous” may not be perfect, but it is better than “reddish-yellow,” or “yellowish- rec,” which even more lack precision. R-u-f-o-u-s is a good dictionary word. It is often seen in- correctly spelled rufus. The Belgian hare is the most useful of rabbits, and that is why there is good reason for concentration of efforts in developing and beautifying him. Breeders of cattle seek to raise the kind that will give the most and richest milk, the most and best-flavored meat and the biggest and best hide. According to the same reasoning, the Belgian hare is being developed. Of all rabbits, the Belgian is the most nicely bal- anced with respect to pelt, smallness of bone and flavor of meat. Neither the Belgian hare, nor any other animal, would be bred in guantities on a large commercial scale simply for good looks, or adaptibility as a pet, but because it is useful as well as ornamental. The ultimate destiny of the Belgian hare is the table and the manufactory. That is why the Belgian hare industry is founded on a rock. If it were a fad, like the collection of rare coins, beautiful porcelain, tulips, or postage stamps, it would have died out long ago, to be engaged in only by people of wealth or leisure. 12 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS or both, who are the favored few that can afford the aesthe- tic or the beautiful in preference to the useful. Just now, breeders of Belgians strive to keep them alive, because more breeders are coming forward all the time to get stock for a start in business, and the only Belgians that find their way to the table and the hat and fur factories are those which are rejected for breeding purposes because they are faulty in color, markings, shape or breeding habits. A rabbit still larger than the Belgian may be obtained by crossing it either with the Patagonian, the Flemish Giant or the Lop-Eared rabbit, but what is gained in weight is lost in extra weight of bone, quality of meat and good looks, or non-conformity to the accepted standard, the color being faulty. or something else being the matter. Still, the critic may say, it has more meat and a bigger pelt than the true Belgian. Nevertheless, breeders have agreed not to sacri- fice the beautiful hare-like shape and handsome color of the true Belgian. Fix the foregoing first principles and definition of terms firmly in mind and you will be able to comprehend intelli- gently the next lesson en how to buy. j i « 5 , * 1 i at i j LAY fe : Py af 7 U : 2 A : i, : , { f % ‘ : 4 . 1 - rf hay ; i av 7 i ] : 4 i - . ‘ Fi : ® ‘ j ; ; ; i ~~ 7 u ~ , ‘ 7 : ¥ a a : ms ; , f ' fi ‘a i : 1 Pe mt ; ' ori ree V1 ae i , ats 7 ; ; : Photograph by the Author. By Permission of Mr. and Mrs. J. 8S. Brothers. DUMBLETON, AN ENGLISH WILD HARE. {For Description See Opposite Page.) When the English fanciers first formulated the standard of breeding Belgian hares, they took for their model in shape, size and some minor requirements the beautiful wild hare of their country. HISTORY 15 DUMBLETON. THE upbuilding of the Belgian hare to its present standing in show room requirements has been so closely allied with the wild English hare as regards many of its most important characteristics that the latter becomes, for that reason, a most interesting specimen to the fancier. It was at the revision of the English standard in 1889 that the most particular stress was thrown on the characteristics as Show in the wild hare on the requirements of length of limb, fineness of bone, boldness of eye, alert disposition and waviness of ticking. They since apply. In order to show just the exact type that was consid- ‘ered the ideal in this respect, I decided to bring one to Ameri- ca, photograph him and give the public the benefit of an ob- ject lesson in that respect. Dumbleton was born near Ban- bury, England in March, 1900. By nature he is an athlete, as you may know by his shape. By force of habit. the exercise he takes keeps his muscles almost as hard as wood. He lha- bitually bumps his head against the top of a 26-inch hutch while standing flat-footed. He is kind in disposition, and will eat from your hand as long as you will leave him free, but the moment that vou undertake to hold him forcibly he will squeal like a hog and would fight to the death. The first time I un- dertook to apply Belgian hare treatment to him I of course took him by the ears and shoulders and received a cut on the arm over five inches in length. When nearing New York har- bor I began to give the shipping crates a final cleaning out before landing and Dumbleton got frightened at the small shovel which I was using and attacked my hand. I was ina hurry and proceeded to scrape the box, holding the door tight- ly against my wrist, and was shocked on withdrawing my hand and shovel to see that he had my hand bleeding in just 23 places. He is a veritable Fitzsimmons. He was taken into captivity when about three or four weeks of age, and be- ing the only living specimen on exhibition in America he very naturally creates a great deal of curiosity and furnishes much amusement. I wish to call attention to the requirements after which we copy and can only show them to moderate advan- 16 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS tage in this halftone, as the photographing of the beast was almost as big a job as the trip to England, although it did not require so much time. In moving him from one enclosure into another the only way possible to handle him without kill- ing him is to slip a large bag over him, then handle the bag, pouring Dumbleton out where you wish him transferred to. Of course he gives the bag a real “drubbing,” but the bag doesn’t hurt Dumbleton. and neither I nor Dumbleton would have any bark left on us, after about the third round, were I to try to handle him otherwise. LESSON THREE. HOW TO BUY. HAVING become interested in the Belgian hare business, and desirous of engaging in it, the beginner will look around for stock, and he will need help on how and where to buy. There are two ways of buying: First, by mail; second, by personal examination. Eiverybody can form his or her own opinion of what he sees and handles. By comparison and asking questions, you can get good results, and at the same time you take full responsi- bility. Still, shrewd and unprincipled salesmen have no diffi- culty in palming off inferior goods of all kinds on innocent and creculous shoppers. They can make a sale to some foolish persons by enthusiastically claiming that this or that article is “fashionable,” or they can convince others by the same glib tongue that stocks of a worthless company are going to pay dividends. The shrewdest of the confidence men depend upon meeting their victim personally for success. They fail when they write letters. The hypnotic influence of personal contact is missing from a letter. So in many respects the mail order method of buying Bel- gian hares is to be preferred. At this time, and this stage of the business, it is almost necessary, for the reliable breeders are scattered. A beginner who makes up his mind to buy only after personal examination will find himself compelled to make a raliroau journey at more or less expense and loss of time, and even then he may be disappointed, for he will not wish to go home empty handed, and may ‘‘take anything” to have something to show for his pains. In ordering by mail, there are many advantages in favor of 18 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS the buyer, now. In the first place, the postal laws of the country are so strict that a swindler cannot conduct a business from his attic lodging room, hiring a cheap postoffice box, and giving nothing for the money of his dupes, without being brought up with a round turn. There are some swindles which the law cannot reach, but they are simple, for instance, the sale of a “diamond” for fifty cents. The swindler has a right to call his diamond a fanciful name, and may sell it, but only the young, foolish and credulous, or people looking for something for nothing, buy it. A person with any sense knows that a diamond cannot be bought for fifty cents. There are always plenty of people looking for something for nothing, and on this class the mail order sharper plays, getting as close to the litte as he can. If these people will stop for a moment and consider that all business is entered into for the sake of a profit somewhere, they will see the utter absurdity of setting something for nothing. Another safeguard is the newspapers and other periodicals in which Belgian hare dealers advertise. Most of them will not take advertisements from an irresponsible party. Some of them will refund to their readers money which those readers think has been taken from them unjustly by advertisers. Such periodicals make it a point to investigate the reliability and standing of every advertiser who applies for space in their columns. Advertising is expensive, and as a rule, the Belgian hare dealers who advertise largely are responsible, having capital and business at stake, and dealings with them may be opened and carried on by correspondence with confidence. The buyer however, should not be prejudiced against the small dealers, many of whom are handling choice stock and attending to a smali business carefully, and with a good knowledge of what they are doing. Some small dealers, having a fanciful concep- tion of the value of their pets, ask prices entirely out of pro- portion to the value of their stock. The large dealers, as a rule, know the state ofthe market and are satisfied with a smalier profit than those who have only a few Belgians. Do not forget that a reputable dealer in Belgian hares is anxious to please you. A pleased customer is the best adver- tisernent. If the buyer is not treated well by the dealer, he will tell his friends, and they will tell others, and the whole neighborhood soon will be on guard against trading with the man who failed tc please. On the other hand, let a dealer be HOW TO BUY 19 honest, and represent his stock just as it is, and he will find orders coming in from people who have personal knowledge of his squareness in treating others. Look out for the sharper who is anxious to sell anything with four legs and a pair of ears that looks like a hare. The prospect cf getting rich quick by selling all kinds of stock at nigh prices tempts the unscrupulous to dispose of anything. Be sure you get a sound, healthy specimen from a reliable dealer. It is not practicable for the beginner to import his own hares, if he is determined to start with an imported selection, but he can deal on this side of the Atlantic with an importer ard accomplish his purpose just as well. Remember, in buying, that the label does not make the goods. An imported hare may be as worthless as the most worthless scrub in America. In buying, the test is, does the animal measure up to the standard stated and explained in the preceding lesson? The nearer it comes to scoring 100 points, the more valuable it is, provided, of course, that it is in a healthy condition, and reared safely to maturity. Now a word about scoring. You might think you were quali- fied to be a good judge of points. You would take the hare out of the deaier’s hutch, place it on a table, take out your pencil and notebook and mark up the points of the animal. Suppose you were generally pleased, and arrived at a score of 94. You migat say you felt like buying the hare, and the dealer, if he wished to make a sale regardless of principle, might say: “You are right; it is a great hare; my judgment makes the score 95 points. J think it is worth fully $100.” You should ask the dealer what he means by “his judging.” Some dealers have so-called “judges” of their own who, for some reason, probably because they are in the employ and pay of their patrons, put wonderfully high scores on Belgians belonging to said patrons, but remarkably low scores on the Belgians of rival dealers. Beware of such “judges.” They are mercenaries and will put a score on an animal in propor- tion to the size of their fees. The true judge is a man of honor and principle, as well as extraordinary good judgment. He must not only be well- meaning and square in his dealings, but also of quick percep- tion, and skilled in the art of detecting tricks. The ideal judge would be a gentleman of culture, experience and stand- 20 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS ing, financially entirely independent of the Belgian hare busi- ness. Such men are hard to find. An admirable substitute is the thoroughly reliable, trustworthy gentleman, poor, maybe, but determined to do the square and the honorable thing at all times. We will have inore to say about judges and judging in a special lesson. The point which we wish to make clear now, and to emphasize, is, that the buyer must make sure that the judge who scored the animal he wants was a reliable one, and that the points for which he is paying good money will maintain their value in fair competition. An exhibition under the direction of 2 reliable society is a good test. Belgians judged in such places, with full publicity and criticism, are more reliable than those judged when not in competition. The Belgian hare associations will do their most important work in the registration of judges and pedigrees. The stricter the discipline and the surer the punishment, the more reliable will poth judges and pedigrees become. Do not be iooled by pedigrees, and do not be guided wholly by them. You woula not feel cheerful to pay quite a sum for a wonderful pedigree, and find on getting your Belgian from the express company that it was a sickly animal which had con- tracted disease since the recording of its pedigree. Remember that you are buying an animal, as well as a pedigree, Get a fair foundation and trust to yourself for improvement. You can improve your stock at any time by sending one of your best does away to be bred to a prize buck. Don’t figure that you will put $100 into a doe and $100 into a buck, and that in six months you will have forty Belgians wortr: $100 apiece. Such reasoning may look all right on paper, but it is misleading. Start with as good stock as you can afford without using up all your resources. Leave a little money for emergencies. Use ordinary business common sense. If you have only $10, and feel that you want to start, it is better to buy two bred does at $5 than one at $10. In the course of a few months, you will be able to seil meat stock enough to pay for a fancy buck or the fee of breeding a high-scoring buck to your best doe. If the Belgians which you have bought have been exposed during shipment to extraordinary variations of weather, or if they were shipped by unscrupulous dealers, they may have the snuffies (otherwise known as catarrh, or influenza) when they arrive. If they are running at the mouth, they have the slob- hy Bs ; a ee Photograph by the Author. Copyright, 1901, by the New England B. H. Co. TYPE NO. 1. Large doe, very fine in bone, moderately coarse in ear, well-colored feet, but avery full-breasted animal, the result of large dewlap, which should al- ways be avoided as much as possible. HOW TO BUY 23 bers. Jf either nose or mouth is running, or the animals are sneezing, or refusing food, turn over these lessons until you come to the one on diseases, and you will see how to treat them. Belgians shipyed by reputable dealers have neither the snuffies, slobbers nor pot bellies. If your purchase shows any bad symptoms, give the dealer the benefit of the doubt and by eareful feeding for a few days strive to cure, meantime writing the facts to the dealer of whom you purchased. As a rule, Belgians which are healthy when shipped will remain healthy. The express companies have no difficulty in handling them. The shipper sends a bag of oats and hay with the box to the express company and during the journey the express com- pany’s employes feed and water the animals. Do not be frightened if the does have a little dewlap, in some cases. Such does, it is found, make good mothers. The body should be long, and the back should rise in a well-moulded curve. The belly should be well up, not pot or fatty, and the animal should have the clean lines suggestive of the thoroughbred race-horse. The startled look of the eyes is characteristic. The eye should be bright and bold. When you have ordered your stock, and are awaiting its ar- rival, you ought to be getting the box or hutch ready, and this will be the subject of our next lesson. LESSON FOUR. SHELTERING. BEFORE your Belgians arrive. make ready a home for them. The interval of time between ordering and the receipt of the animals can be employed to good ad- vantage in building a box or hutch. There are certain fundamental rules which must be fol- lowed, and observation of model rabbitries will convince one that the best breeders are agreed on a simple form of hutch for a unit which may he multiplied as many times as desired as the Belgians increase in number. Do not be deluded into believing that you can invent a hutch that will be self-cleaning, or one that will do away with attention in the matter of cleanliness. Some amateurs have planned a hutch of a so-called self-cleaning pattern, the chief characteristics of which are, first, a wire screen on which is laid the hare’s bedding, and, second, a zinc-lined drawer im- mediately underneath into which the urine percolates and the durg falls. In practice, it is found that it is as much trouble to keep the zinc-lined drawer sweet as if the hare sat in the drawer, and besides, the animal’s hocks are liable to become sore through contact with the wire screen. Bear in mind that it is the urine, and not the dung, which if neglected, will give rise to a foul odor. The dung gives little or no trouble. When the Belgians are in their ordinarily healthy condition, it is hard and may be removed without diffi- eulty. No matter what you provide or build, be sure it is off the ground, so as to keep out dampness, and have holes in the top, or at the tops of the sides, to let pure air in and bad air out. Belgians may be kept out of doors all the year round, except HOW TO SHELTER 25 in places where the thermometer remains below zero for days at a time. In winter it is necessary to give them plenty of warm bedding. In the Northwest, does have kindled in the coldest days of midwinter safely. The Belgian is a hardy ani- mal. If a poultry house is used, or an upstairs room, do not feel obliged to provide artificial heat, no matter where you live. Cold is not harmful, so long as there are no draughts. The sides of the hutch always should be closed at the bottom, if they are open at the top, so that the occupants will be pro- tected. In winter, a strip of canvas or carpeting hung over the wire front of the hutch, to keep off the winds and snow, will be found ample protection. There should be a rack in each hutch for hay, and a feeding trougi) or dish, and water should be given in crockery dishes. Do not use tin dishes for drinking water, except when shipping hares (when they are in use only a short time). Set the hutch in a dry, cool place. Sunlight at certain parts of the day, but not the hot rays all the time, will do no harm. My practice concerning hutches is different from what it was when [ started in the Belgian hare industry. I believe in smaller ones now than I did then. The Belgians do better, the expense is less and the care of the hutches is reduced to a minimum. The hutch for the breeding doe should be three feet broad, two and one-half feet high and three and one-half feet deep or long. Half of the front should be of wire, one-inch mesh, hinged door, the other half boarded up. In the centre of the boarded up portion take out one of the boards, from top to bottom of the front, and put it on hinges, making a door. The use of this door in the solid front of the hutch will be ex- plained later. For a nesting box, there is nothing better than what is known in the western part of the United States, and is found in every grocery: store there, as a coffee case. It is 22% inches long, 131% inches high and 11 inches wide. The top or lid is fastened on with two nails and is easily taken off. Tear off the front of the case and set this open front in the forward part of the hutch directly behind the boarded front, with its door. At the rear of the coffee case cut a hole four and one- half inches wide and seven inches high. Be sure this hole extends clear to the floor. Leave the lid on the box. This forms a shelf for the doe to jump upon when her voung nag 26 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS her, as they will when over three weeks old. The hutch is high enough so that there will be room for the doe to sit on top of the nesting box without bumping her head on the top of the hutch. There are cleats on the under side of the cof- fee case which are just what is needed to provide a small dead air space between the bottom of the coffee case and the floor of the hutch, and keep the urine out of the nest. The object of the hole in the back of the nesting box is to provide a means of egress and ingress for the doe, and it should be cut clear to the floor, so that the youngsters, if they crawl out of the nesting box, as they frequently do, even when blind and barely able to crawl, can feel their way by in- stinct back to the nest. If there is a cleat or other projection which has not prevented them from falling out of the nest, but which does prevent them from getting back into the nest, they will be obliged to stay out on the floor of the hutch, where they will starve, or in winter, freeze to death. The doe, when she builds her nest, goes as far as she can from the light, and from what she reckons is the place for interference. In other words, she enters the hole at the back of the box and proceeds clear to the front of the box to build her nest. This is just what the breeder wants, and which he takes advantage of by the arrangement of nesting box and hutch above described. By opening the door in the middle of the solid front of the hutch, the nest is discovered close at hand, only the breadth of the fingers from the front of the hutch, and the easiest place imaginable for inspection. While the doe is out of the nesting box, the front door of the solid part of the front of the hutch may be opened and the young inspected, dead ones being removed, if there are any. This arrangement of nesting box and hutch is the simplest and best. It is far better than a nesting box at the back of the hutch, the interior of which can be reached for inspection only by pulling the box forward and lifting a lid at top or door at side. By the arrangement described, it is not necessary to disturb the nesting box at any time. In a hutch arranged this way, I have never had any trouble with the doe or young. I have taken the young out and han- | dled them in sight of the doe, and she has never obiected. I have seen the statement that the doe will eat the young if they are handled, but I never saw a case of that kind. If the doe destroys her young there are other causes for it. ‘U99S 9q 0} Spvody [NJIJNVvIq JsOU 9q} JO 9UO pur oSviaiwo avo poos ‘yowq Jo Youre [nJynveq ‘Apog podeys -rspulpso ‘ZUO] PUvIS SMOUS “6 “ON HdAD ‘O/F) DAVE UVISTO” puvlsug MeN 9} Aq ‘TOT “QU sTIAdoy ‘rou y ayy Aq [deV1Is0}0OU HOW TO SHELTER 29 At six weeks, when the young are weaned, take them from the doe’s hutch and place them in a rearing hutch, both sexes. This rearing hutch has no nesting box and is a little smaller in frontage that the breeding hutch. It should be two feet wide, two feet high and four feet deep. Make the floor of fencing, which is three or four inches wide, unmatched, and when laying it leave between each board on open air space the width of a pencil. Set the boards so that they will run from front to back. Incline the floor slightly, making it one- half inch lower at the back than at the front, so that the ten- dency of he drainage will be toward the back. The young- sters will go to the back of the hutch to urinate and deposit dung. In a new hutch, or in case of every new litter, take some fresh dung and urine on a shovel and smear the floor at the back of the hutch. This ought to lead all the litter to the back of the hutch. The flooring should project half an inch at the front of the hutch, to make cleaning easy. Take a straight garden hoe and scrape the dirt towards the front, where you have a pail or bucket for it to drop into. The object of the spaces the width of a pencil befween the floor boards is to allow of a circulation of air. This circula- tion is not enough to cause a draught. It is just enough to dry up the urine and carry off all odor. The urine runs onto and around the boards, but does not driv down upon the Bel- gians in the hutch underneath. It is not necessary to put a layer of sawdust in the bottom of the hutch. Sawdust sat- urated with urine quickly becomes foul and unpleasant. By the circulation of air obtained through means of the arrange- ment described, there is never any trouble experienced from urine. The hutches should be in tiers, three high, the lower hutch being raised eight inches from the ground. I believe in outdoor rabbitries every time, no matter how cold the climate. I never have had any snuffles or other sickness in my rabbitry at Denver, where the thermometer in winter time frequently drops to 24 degrees below zero. It is a mistake to house Belgians in an air-tight place, artificially heated, or heated by the warmth of their bodies at night and cooled by fresh air in the day time. It is the difference in day and night temperature of closed rabbitries which causes sickness. I was a poultry fancier for many years before tak- 30 CRABTREEH’S INSTRUCTIONS ing up Belgian hares, and I learned then that all the ills of poultry are caused by a poultry house which is shut at night and open in the day time. A hollow square or rectangle is a good arrangement for a rabbitry. A shed with three sides enclosed, the third side open and facing the south, is the best arrangement. That rabbitry in England which breeds the healthiest animals is in the form of a hollow square, open the year round. ! heard no sneezes at that rabbitry. The heavy fogs in England, es- pecially in the winter time, bank up on the ground and are al- most as tangible as a light snow storm, but they cause the open air breeder no anxiety. He simply closes half of the epen front of each hutch with a sheet iron movable screen or shield. If you have a sneezing Belgian, put him in a free, open air hutch and it will cure him, if the case has not gone so far as to be incurable. It is a waste of time, and a mistake, to doc- tor sneezing Belgians continually with medicines. If a heavy storm comes up, or extremely cold weather, I have pieces of galvanized iron (which pack away easily) two feet by one in size. By hanging them on the front of the hutches, I shut off half the air, and the animal has no trouble in keep- ing warm. Youngsters warm each other. If there is only one buck Belgian in the hutch, give him a nest. If there is a doe, she has a nesting box and nest. There is only one time to watch an outdoor hutch, and that is when the weather is extremely cold and the doe is about to kindle. Were she to give birth to her young with the ther- mometer much below zero, even in the warm interior of the nesting box, there would be a chance that the moisture of kindling time would freeze. To avoid all chance of such freezing, a doe about to kindle in freezing weather should be taken into the barn or cellar. You may take back her and her litter to the outdoor brood hutch four days after she has kindled. An outdoor rabbitry should be protected against intruders, particularly burglars. Build a fence 10 feet away from the open side of the rabbitry and carry it around each end so as to make a hollow rectangle. There should be a door or gate at one end. Place a spring and a catch on this gate so that it will fly open if the catch is released. Arrange an electrical circuit so that the opening of the gate will give an alarm. HOW TO SHELTER 31 The arrangement known as the ‘closed circuit” is best; then you will get an alarm even if a wire is cut or broken. The alarm bell may be at the head of your bed. The current may be furnished by two or three cells of a closed circuit, blue vitriol battery, such as is used in telegraphy, and which you may see at any telegraph office. These cells cost about 60 cents apiece, complete. Take a small copper wire and stretch it the whole length of your rabbitry, fastening one end to the fence, the other to the catch of the door. This wire may be hung on hooks out of the way during the day time and dropped into place at night. This is for the purpose of giving an alarm if anybody climbs the fence or gets into your rab- bitry by any means other than the gate. Should an intruder climb the fence, he will strike the wire. If he cuts it or breaks it gently, he will break the circuit and you will get an alarm. If he strikes it, the catch of the gate will be re- leased and the gate will fly open, and the circuit opened, thus giving an alarm. This arrangement is so effective that an alarm will be given by the body of a cat striking the wire. A cat has awakened me in this manner several times. It is impossible for a bur- glar to enter without an alarm being given. If you use an open circuit battery, the burglar may outwit you by cutting a wire, but he is powerless in the case of the closed circuit. Anybody with a smattering knowledge of electricity may run the wires successfully. Two pieces of spring brags, or the interior of the common push button may be used on the gate for a contact breaker. Your battery is not in use during the day, but only at night, and will last indefinitely with occa- sional renewal of solution. Breeders call the wire stretched through the centre of the rabbitry a “trip.” LESSON FIVE. EXPERIENCES IN SHELTERING. No. 1—“‘My hutches (outside ones) are simply ham or bacon boxes. I use whole ones for my breeding hutches, and divide into twe compartments, by means of a partition, for the use of two Single inrmates. I make my doors of solid one-inch matched flooring boards. and bore a row of three-fourths inch holes opposite the top of each compartment, in order to allow each occupant as much fresh air as possible. I place the ven- tilation holes at the top of the compartments so that the air will go in over, instead of at the inmate. For inside hutches, I simply build or partition next a wall. I allow each adult rabbit not breeding 36 inches by 20 inches, and 20 inches deep; for youngsters, five or six together, 36 inches by 36 inches, and 20 inches deep, and for breeding does, about the same extent. I do rot use either false or sloping bottoms, but simply plain, smooth, pine ones.” No. 2—“It has been considered by many ignorant people, not pelonging to tae fancy particularly, that any kind of hutch. situated in almost any unhealthy corner, is good enough —which, in course of time, turns out to be a great mistake. It should be remembered that human beings enjoy better health when their homes are made comfortable, in airy localities, and with plenty of ventilation; and this rule applies to the proper hutching of rabbits. I keep my rabbits in an outhouse. My hutches are in double tiers and are made of boxes in which toys are packed. I prefer these to bacon boxes, which are generally saturated with fat and salt, while toy boxes are made of good, clean wood and are free from unpleasant smells and dirt. These boxes are of various sizes, and if the fancier prefers to have his hutches made fixtures, he cannot do better j meeank ‘ Hh sy wn i Git ‘i nad a Vn wae) 7 : j i : 1 7 ve af i 7 oy 1 l ron) a eng 7 4 y ’ 1 iv? oo F : ss 7 1) i i up oe hat =) ery ‘es at i OF i H rs ’ ' 5 Lay Lert a a ae a7 4 7 ee i m7 Te a ; i ye i Ae} ; f a : Th i ‘ in is : i i 1 t i : ' : we : ; i Fi J ru Le 1 , ~ 7 Z - ; in - ; i a ri ra i j ; ‘i bby { et nT iy tl ' SHHOLIH 40 INGWAONVUUAVY LOVIMOO LSOW GNY LSA TW “LOYNY 9yy Aq YdRisojoU EXPERIENCES IN SHELTERING 35 than buy the large size toy boxes, which he can cheaply utilize. My hutches are movable. For single rabbits, a box measuring 4 feet 10 inches long, 3 feet 4 inches high and 3 feet wide, can be divided by a wooden partition, and this would give suffi- cient room for two rabbits not used in breeding. The hutches for breeding are of the same dimensions, but without a divi- sion; and inside of these hutches I put a small box for a kind- ling box, while I have others of them with a little divisional breeding compartment at one end. But I like the former plan, because when you want to examine the litters of your breed- ing does a movable box is more convenient, as it can be lifted out of the hutch without much annoyance to the doe. These hutches have small-sized wire netting fronts, with one end fronted with wood, in order to make them a little darker op- posite the breeding box. When hutches of this description are made, they should be well white-washed inside; and after they have got saturated with excrement, the floor should be well washed with hot water and carbolic acid, and kept empty for a few hours until the odor of the acid has evaporated, when the hutch will be sweet again for the little tenants. The fan- cier should always place his hutches so that the north and east winds will be avoided, and to escape all draughts. In the winter, I have light wooden shutters, to reach within 6 inches or 8 inches of the wire-door top, sufficient to give plenty of fresh air; and an old sack may be nailed over the open part in any severe weather, taking care not to exclude the fresh air, which is highly necessary to promote health in the rabbitry. Badly-ventilated hutches are very injurious, and where too many rabbits are kept together, the effect is fearful.” No. 3—‘‘To insure health, there is no reason why any rab- bitry should not, with due care, be as free from disagreeable smells as any well-arranged stable in the care of a competent groom. After a hutch has been cleaned, a sprinkling of pine sawdust, which contains much turpentine, is useful, and acts as a disinfectant, to a certain extent. If the rabbits are kept in outside hutches, care should be taken to give them a south aspect, if possiple. As previously mentioned, shutters for use in the winter weather must be provided, and ventilation, which shouid always be above the head of the rabbit, must not be forgotten. The roof should be well slatted and pointed and it should project three inches at both front and back, as warmth is of great importance, and perfect protection from cold winds must be secured. The projecting eaves greatly shelter the in- 36 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS side of the hutch from driving rain and wind.” No. 4—“When we started in the Belgian hare business, we began in a small way one spring. When fall came, we had between 380 and 40 hares cooped up in covered wire runs, each about 12 feet square and three feet high, with a box inside about two feet square that could be used by hares when stormy, or by the does for nests. Later in the fall, as it began to grow colder, we were rather perplexed as to what kind of a rabbitry it was most advisable to build in which 'to winter the stock. We finally remodeled a poultry house in the fol- lowing manner: To begin with, the house was 21 feet long, 8 feet wide, 5 feet high at the front, 7 feet high at the ridgepole and 6 feet high at the back; the board floor a foot from the ground, and the door at one end, next to back. We took the boards off the five-foot side and covered that side with our inch-mesh wire. We then made a second floor 2% feet above the one already there. This second floor ran the length of the house, was 44 feet wide and was made of matched boards. We partitioned off the two floors we now had and made 14 pens, seven on a ficor, each pen being 4% feet deep and three feet wide at the open wire front, and 2% feet high. The parti- titions between the pens were boarded up for about a foot, and th rest was covered with one-inch mesh wire. In back of these pens we had left a space running the length of the house and 3% feet wide, where we could keep supplies. The doors in the different pens were made of a framework covered with wire. These doors were 2% feet high and 3 feet wide, and opened into the alley way inside of the house. In each pen we had a nest box 12 inches wide and 18 inches long, with a hole about 6 inches square in one side. We use sawdust on the floors, cleaniag twice a week, feed principally on second crop hay, oats and water, besides a few old vegetables. In this way, with an open front house, we wintered our stock, breeding the does every two months. They stood the two great storms and ali the cold weather without any trouble, were never sick, and we lost only one or two very young ones. We think this shows pretty clearly that the Belgian hare is very hardy and will stand, and breed in very cold weather. We sustained no heavy losses until hot weather came, but even then we got along fairly well.” No. 5—‘An inexpensive place may be provided by build- ing a frame shed if there is no old one that can be used, A shed 10x20 feet is large enough for quite a number of hares. I EXPERIENCES IN SHELTERING 37 have frequently had as many as 60 old and young in one of that size. Some prefer a shed with three sides enclosed and open on the east, with a curtain to urop down when it is cold and stormy. A cheap hutch may be made by taking a large dry goods box, say about 3x4 feet, 2 feet high. Take out one side. Make a door about half the size of one-inch mesh poul- try netting. Let the door come clear to the bottom of the box so as to be easy to clean out the hutch, which should be done every two or three days. Inside of this large box put a small box i2x14x20 inches for a nest box. In the back end of this cut a hole about 6 inches square for the doe to enter. This box shouid be put at the front of the hutch on the side not used for the door. Board up the half of the front beside the door with a small door into the nesc box so the nest can be got at readily. Give the doe plenty of good, clean straw about two weeks before she is due to kindle. She will build her nest with the straw and line it with fur pulled from her own body. Sometimes, if the weather is cold, they will not pull fur enough to keep the young warm, and they are chilled to death. After one has killed a hare for meat and saved the pelt, this can be remedied by cutting the fur from the dry peice and put- ting it in the nest the day the doe is due. Many valuable lit- ters have been saved this way. These instructions are only for the beginner with but little money to start. A fancier with ample means at his disposal can build his rabbitry and hutehes to suit his fancy.” No. 6—‘Light, air and ventilation are the three require- ments absolutely necessary to life, vigor and health. And this applies to the Belgian hare as well as mankind. moused in a small, dark, ill-ventilated bandbox with never a ray of God’s sunshine, and most of the time rank with filth, is it any won- der that the owner spends half of his time dosing his hares to keep them alive?” No. 7—‘It is one of the fundamental principles of venti- lation that air does not circulate and flow freely from point to point unless openings are so arranged as to allow free ingress of air and a free outlet for air. To make it still plainer, the air in such a hutch simply banks up in the hutch and becomes and remains foul. If any one doubts this statement, let him simply place his head inside such a hutch, well towards the back wall, and breathe the air for a moment. He will be con- vineed in short order. The air soon becomes foul, and as it has no means of purifying itself by a fresh current in any di- 38 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS rection, it remains foul all the time. As further proof of this, observe your hares in such a hutch. They lie close to the wire netting in front, and are trying to get a whiff of fresh air, which they stand so much in need of. The way to remedy this is to cut off the back wall of your huten about four inches down the back, beginning at the top and cover opening with wire, or arrange a door to swing down from top of hutch so it can be opened. As a matter of fact, it should remain open all the time. If the hutches are made of chicken wire all around, this objection does not hold. In the warm climates a building with good height if ceiling (ten feet is none v.00 high to afford good ventilation), with a double roof (with air space between roofs) for free ventilation, without di- rect draughts, is the ideal home for the Belgian. Take your windows out of rabbitry entirely in summer on south side and east of rabbitry, replacing them with strong wire screens (not fly screens, but heavy screens such as banking rooms use) and these will admit plenty of fresh air, and keep out dogs and bur- glars. Then arrange outlets on the side walls near the ceiling, for the foul air. Remember, warm foul air rises, and if you get the currents of air going in the right direction, you will al- ways have fresh air, without draughts. Place the hutches out of the direct current of air, but where the air will sweep around them, and your bunnies will take on new life, and be as happy as clams at high tide. The same kind of house is appli- cable to the cold climate, with the addition that walls can be lined with paper in very cold weather, to keep out severe cold, but still arrange for ventilation even in cold weather. Bel- gians enjoy cold weather, even a temperature of forty below, if kept in a dry, warm place. As to the necessary hygiene of the hutch itself, there is a chance for great improvement. For the hutch made with a flat floor, straw as litter is best for warm weather, because bunny loves to brush the straw one side and stretch himself out at full length on the bare floor. it is cooler and he enjoys it very much. For winter, on the flat-floored hutch, a layer of clean sawdust with straw over that is the best. The droppings fall through the straw, and leave a clean, dry place. The sawdust alone soon becomes wet and dirty, and the animal is compelled to walk and lie in this dirty, wet litter. Change such hutches at least once a week. Take the hare out. Clean out thoroughly. Scrub it out with soap and hot water. Allow it to dry thoroughly, and then sprinkle some good disinfectant all over the side walls. Photograph by the Author. Copyright, 1901, by the New England Belgian Hare Co. TYPE NO. 3. A neat little animal, unusually trim and clean in shape of neck and breast. Front feetare somewhat defective in shape. Eye is good, but ears are ‘ather spoon-shaped, which is not a desirable feature. EXPERIENCES IN SHELTERING 41 Pure water is essential. Hares are great water drinkers. Have a nice, clean pail for watering your hares. Do not use the slop or mop pail to water them with and then wonder they are sick.” — No. 8—‘“‘We secured a large number of packing cases from the merchants of our city free of charge; the business men seemingly glad to have them taken out of their way. Of these boxes we used only the largest for hutches, 3x4 feet be- ing the size preferred, tearing the smaller ones to pieces and using the boards for roofing. After knocking out the front side of the box, a board one foot high was nailed along the top edge, and extending upwards. Boards were nailed to this, slanting back to the rear of the hutch, and this roof was cov- ered with tar paper, the roof boards being allowed to extend out from the hutch about one foot, both front and rear. This gives you a splendid tight roof for shedding the rain, and also a large air space between the two roofs. For the door, we se- cured pine strips 1x2 inches and made a frame over which was stretched one-inck mesh wire. This door is hung with com- mon strap hinges, and fastened with a button. Each hutch is also supplied with a heavy oiled muslin curtain, for cold or stormy weather, which is fastened with buttons and can be rolled up and fastened under the roof with a strap, similar toa carriage curtain. For the nest boxes, we used the smaller boxes gathered in our trips, such as those used for crackers, shoes, ete., about 12x1§ inches, and a foot high. A board ten or twelve inches high, sawed from opposite corners, and nailed to the edges of the box, gives a nice slant. Near the top of the box proper are fasetned cleats on which a false roof rests, and in cold weather this space between the two roofs is packed tightly with hay or straw. The cover is made large enough to extend over the nest boxes two or three inches, and extends up under a one-inch cleat nailed to the hutch, to which it is hinged after being covered with tarred paper. The hutches are all provided with buttons, fastened to the side, for holding the feed and water dishes, and we find that this saves consid- erable in the cost of feed, doing away with the loss necessi- tated by loose dishes being tipped over and the grain scat- tered in the litter. For feed boxes we use cigar boxes, the small and shallow kind. It is a well-known fact that Belgians will stand cold far better than heat, and with its curtained front this hutch is plenty warm enough for the most severe weather, and the double roof, with the air space between, gives 42 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS a fine circulation of air continuously during the hottest days of summer.”’ No. 9—‘It is quite plain to me that Minnesota breeders are too fearful lest their animals take cold, and are altogether too precautious about a little fresh air getting to them. I find doors at the rabbitries nearly closed all the time, all well as the windows, and one would think from the way a draught, however slight, is feared, that they were expecting a draught from Greenland would creep in upon them at any time if an opening were left. While we believe a certain amount of care should be given to Belgians on their arrival from the coast, yet the difference in climate is not so great as to necessitate the extreme precautions which we find everywhere. No wonder there are snuffles and sneezes, for where they are housed so closely the least draught causes them to sneeze, the same as an infant that has been cared for in the same way and suddenly gets a breath of a nor’-west breeze. The sooner the breeders get the idea of the Belgian being a fur-bearing animal and not of necessity requiring a blanket at this season of the year, and begin to give them lots of air, in fact, better have a number of runways out doors. where a number can be put each day, the better prepared they will find their stock to stand our coming winter. We always have plenty of winter, and the idea of having pampered your Belgians to such an extent that our summer weather causes them to take cold if exposed in the least makes us smile when we think how they will shiver and shatter their teeth a few months later. Do these breeders pre- sume to think they are going to provide artificially heated quarters for their Belgians this winter? If so, I want to dis- courage this idea in every possible way. Isn’t it ridiculous to suppose that a fur-bearing animal whose fur fulls, or sheds, according to the season, should require an _ artificially heated place of habitation in the winter time? You will find that they will not thrive nearly so well under such conditions, as those who have houses, or hutches, built on a plan suitable to the winters we always have. Mark my prediction that an artificially heated rabbitry will be as conducive to snuffles and sniffles as a hen house on the same plan is to roup and swelled head, or similar diseases, because the fowls are made tender and subject to every little draught that creeps in upon them by being kept under conditions that are not natural.” No. 10 (with illustration)—‘“Cleanliness is one of the most important matters the hare breeder has got to look out for. EXPERIENCES IN SHELTERING 43 The reasons are many. First and most important the neat, clean rabbitry will be selling hares when the dirty, unsani- tary dry goods box establishment will be complaining that the hare business is a fraud and no one wants a Belgian hare even if given to him, which would be so in a great many cases from that kind of an establishment. Second—No hu- man, animal or fowl thrives on filth, not even a hog. Filth breeds disease, wherever you find it. Disease costs money wherever it gets a foothold, and you get no returns for money thus spent. So watch the cause and pay but little at- tention to cures, and you will always come out a winner. Third, and not last by any means, the true fancier will take as much pride in the cleanliness of his rabbitry as he does in the various good points in his Belgian hares. Now the ques- tion is how to build a rabbitry and hutches so it can be kept - clean and in the proper sanitary condition with the least pos- sible work. Nine-tenths of the Belgian hare breeders will be people who have other work to do which takes up their time except the few minutes devoted to the hare night and morn- ing, which by the way is my own case. Therefore, I have built to suit all conditions for my own convenience, which I have found highly satisfactory. I will give you a cut of one row of hutches, together with a description of how they are arranged. My building is 24 feet long by 12 feet wide, run- ning east and west, with a shed roof tipping to the north; the north side is seven feet high and the south side nine feet high. I put a partition in the centre, making two rooms 12 feet square, and a door three feet wide in the centre of each room, opening to the south. On each side of the doors I built hutches three feet high and four feet long, making 24 hutches in each room; each hutch has a depth of three and one-half feet, with a frontage of three feet wide and 22 inches high. The bottom floor is 18 inches above the ground, and each succeeding floor 22 inches above that. I have two sets of hay racks arranged for each set of 12 hutches, as you can see by the inside view of my rabbitry. The rack for the hay is the same on both sides, so by opening one door you can feed hay to six hutches. The door to the hay rack is eight inches wide and the two pieces on each side of the door are two inches wide each. The back and sides of the hay rack are made out of 12-inch boards, and where the hares pull the hay is made of good stiff wire seven inches long and set about 44 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS one and one-quarter inches apart. In getting the wires in place bore a small hole the size of your wire halfway through the floor then take a 1x1 strip and bore holes through it the same distance apart as the ones through the floor. Place this on the top ends of the wires and the lower ends in the floor, then spring it in place and put a couple of small nails through the top piece, and your hay rack is complete ex- cept the six-inch board in the front part to keep the hay from dropping out when the long door is open. The hutch parti- tions are behind each hay rack and behind the six-inch place that the doors between the hay racks swing on. A drain and ventilator is arranged behind each hay rack, which drains and ventilates six hutches. This is made to fit against the back wall. The outside of the drain and ventilating pipe is six inches square, with a partition through it. The back half drains the three floors by tipping each floor to it, and the front half is arranged with ventilating holes to ventilate the back portions of every hutch. I will not attempt to give a detailed description of how this drain and ventilator is built, further than the above notes. With a rabbitry built as I have mine, you have no smell, no wet floors, doors and front all gummed up, four times as much hay wasted as the hare really eats. and best of all, you have a nice. clean place to take your visitor into, and a fine healthy lot of Belgian hares to show him. All this is fully worth the time and ex- pense you have gone to if you expect to make a thorough success of Belgian hares.” No. 11—‘The Belgian hare pays,” says the owner of a large rabbitry in Cahuenga valley (California). No obnoxious efflu- via meets one on entering his rabbitry. Night and day doors facing east and west are wide open and plenty of ventilation on either side assists to brings about a happy freedom frem the catarrh which is the sure result of close air. Note this: Not merely uncleaned cages will encourage development of that disease, the snuffles, for which, once contracted, there is no sovereign remedy, only contamination of the breathing or- gans consequent on over-crowding in, it may be, an absolutely clean space suffices to provoke every symptom of catarrh. The breeder has experimented and found after trial that hares resting during the day in a too-confined space, although that same space was kent in a condition of perfect cleanliness. de- veloped the symptoms of snuffles. Cure was effected by oc- 1 i ba ek ‘ 2 site 0 Bs ee ales Min oe ines Ab Tie aki HEP Ag a i at a Se: hee eke pe 1 eC ah rata) Pee? oa pe? ms ee Res ‘ i - ly : , j . = if ae i : ret Z : A “ ¥ ’ vod \ , ' re py { r + X 7 . : j | i ‘ 7 . ; wt ' ' i a > ‘ fa 5 i : c! n rn 1 : ia Fv ‘ . , ; a i AAPG Photograph by the Author. A LABOR-SAVING HUTCH ARRANGEMENT. Belgians in six hutches are fed at once in this rabbitry. The narrow hinged door is opened and hay thrown into three spaces. The Belgians reach their front feet through the wires and pull the hay toward them, but not out into the hutch. The grain is fed on a slanting board and is eaten up clean at the wires. The floor of the hutch is kept free from hay and grain, and there is no;waste of feed. EXPERIENCES IN SHELTERING 47 cupation of a larger space, proof positive that the inbreathing of lung-contaminated air was the sole cause of the trouble. Clean eyes, sleek pelts and healthy breathing organs are sure witness of sound constitutions and these hares are blessed with all three. Belgian hares, heavy breed, well kept, should in time pay the raiser. If life must be taken that life shall be, the stupid hare may as well be sacrificed as that the bird be stayed on her wing. The meat. as is well known in the older countries, is nutritious and light. Twelve cents a pound for the dressed animal means profit. A hare weighing 12 pounds, such being a well-fattened specimen, may dress down to nine. Poorer ones reduce to little over half their original weight. Less than the 12 cents cancels profit. No guest-re- specting caterer will make a smaller offer and no self-respect- ing breeder will take anything under that price. A cheaper article will mean diseased flesh. Butchers paying five cents a pound are not discriminating. LESSON SIX HOW TO FEED. BELGIANS have incisor teeth. and no molars nor grind- ers. They will eat almost anything in the way of field or garden stuff, green or cured. Here is the fundamental rule in feeding: Give plenty of hay and good oats daily, together with some green food. The secret is, to balance the cured with the green food so: that no trouble results. You will find some breeders of limited experience objecting to green food, but it is the abuse, not the use of green stuff that makes trouble. Green food does not mean wet food. By green food is meant uncooked or fresh-gathered stuff, such as carrots, celery, beets, turnips, turnip tops, cauliflower leaves, dandelion leaves, parseley tops, green clover, weeds, etc. Wet food of any kind, except damp meal mixtures (fed warm or cold) are poisonous. If you cut fresh hay, clover or garden tops, or fresh feed of any kind, be sure it is dry when you feed it. Don’t have a particle of moisture in it. Let all the dew and rain evaporate before you place anything inside the hutch. The test is the appearance of the dung. If it is hard and comparatively odorless, everything is well with the feed. If it is soft and foul smelling, there is too much green food. Fall back solely on oats and hay when the condition of your Beigians gets off, Feed twice 2 day, night and morning. Do not throw in food every time you go to the hutch. Place the hay in the rack, giving enough to last two or three hours. Give oats in the proportion of one handful to each. Belgians do not care to eat allthe time. After the morning meal they will rest quietly HOW TO FEED 49 until late in the afternoon. Give the second feed between 6 and 7 o’clock. Sunrise and sunset are good feeding times. Some breeders feed three times a day, but the great majority advocate two. It is less trouble to feed two, and the nature of the animals is to need rest through the day, especially dur- ing the summer months. They suffer on hot days. When evening comes they become frolicsome, the mother feeds her young, and they exhibit all the characteristics of twilight prowling animals. Too much green food will cause slobbers, and pot belly. Don’t feed frozen carrots, beets, cabbages, or other frozen vegetables. They are sure death to young Belgians. Don’t overfeed, and don’t starve. It is better to give them too little than too much. You can tell by watching their appe- tites. Pea vines, including the pods, are relished, and are healthy. Pea vine hay can be raised anywhere, and where many Bel- gians are bred it is a sensible and cheap food. Don’t feed so pdlentifully that the bottom of the hutch will be littered with scraps. The Belgians are dainty and will not eat food that they have stepped on or befouled, or which has been allowed to remain in the hutch. WATER—Clear, cool water is never harmful. The dishes should be rinsed and filled with a fresh supply at each feeding time. A dish of cold water is a preventive and cure of diar- rhoea, in nine cases out of ten. A little nitre added to the drinking dish is an added help in diarrhoea. Give the drink- ing dishes a thorough scalding and drying once a week, and use earthenware dishes. Always keep plenty of water before the doe at kindling time, or she will destroy her young to allay the intense, gnawing thirst which comes upon her at this time. MiLK—Bread and milk is a good dish for nursing does, but it should be fed sparingly. Avoid the plentiful feeding of milk to all Belgians, young or old. Young Belgians fed on milk from cows that are on a diet of ensilage will be attacked with diarrhoea and die, usually within two days after the diarrhoea begins. Be careful of the quality of the milk at all times and let the dish containing it stay only a short time in the hutch, so as not to absorb foul odors. Milk takes up foulness quicker than water. Scald and keep scrupulously clean all feeding dishes used for milk. LINSEED MEAL—An excellent condiment is made as fol- lows: Take one pound of linseed meal which has been 50 CRABTREH’S INSTRUCTIONS crushed in its own oil and mix it thoroughly with eight pounds of any other good meal}, say barley or corn, together with one ounce of gentian, one cunce of nitre and two ounces of aniseed. Mix with water into thick, damp (but not sloppy) paste, and feed twice a day, giving each time as much as they will eat, removing what they leave as soon as their appetites are sated. This condiment is a tonic, makes their coats glossy and smooth, clears their kidneys, produces milk and gives a good appetite. PEAS—Uncooked peas are a good flesh-producing food. Use always the gray peas, not the white ones. The dung of Belgians fed en white peas is pasty and foul. Continued use 4 — — = ——— : THT MMMUTAN ULE TNT a, y} GRAIN AND WATER DISHES, OF EARTHENWARE. of the white peas will result in diarrhoea. The gray peas should be covered with water for a day and a night, then rinsed with fresh water, drained and set away to remain until they begin to sprout. Then they may be fed, a handful to each Belgian, night and morning. OATS—These are a staple article of diet. CARROTS—An excellent food. They are fed uncooked. They are especially good when the doe is suckling her young, as they aid the secretion of milk. HAY—Clean clover, or timothy, or alfalfa (common in al- ifornia, Texas and the Southwest) are good foods. Put a HOW TO FEED 51 bunch in the hay rack night and morning. BREWERS’ GRAINS—Thoroughly dry them and mix with meal of some kind. he sugar in them helps to fatten. Don’t feed too many, or they will sour on the stomach. BRAN—Use little of this, as it does not have much nour- ishment. It may be mixed with meal. RICE—Should be boiled and allowed to stand until it is cold and with the least amount of moisture—dryer than when usec on the table. Should not be fed more than once in ten days. Some Belgians will eat it, others will not care for it. Make an effort to give your Belgians a variety of appetiz- ing food. Their improved condition will well repay you. I prefer and always advise the use of the best oats, and good, bright, clear hay, clover hay or timothy in the Hast, al- falfa in the West. At one feeding time, sprinkle slightly with water the hay for the next feed. This will take out the dust and the hay will go into their stomachs, and none of it into their lungs. : Hay does not distend the stomachs of Belgians and cause pot- belly, as in the case of a horse. A horse that is taken from its stall and worked becomes hungry and if given an unlimited supply of hay will gorge and the result is a distended stom- ach. On the other hand, a squirrel, which has plenty of food within reach at all times, never loses its trim, racy shape. There are certain animals that will gormandize. The Belgian will gormandize on grain and develop a pot belly, which is caused by fat on the kidneys and entrails. A Belgian which has stuffed itself with grain will be found to be lined with fat. I have seen them so fat that the lungs could hardly move, so thick were the layers. They should not eat dirty hay, and usually will not. A hay rack or manger is a good thing. To feed oats, you can put into each hutch a self-feeder, if you wish, which lets the oats down as they are eaten. Water twice a day in the case of each Belgian. Water the young from the time they are able to crawl. The drinking water should be milk-warm in winter, cool in summer. During the last 10 days of pregnancy, feed the doe only grain and hay, as much as she wants. But do not feed her all the time. Build her up. She should not be too fat. Always feed all the good, bright hay a Belgian will eat. You 52 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS. will not hurt a Belgian by feeding it hay at all ages. I feed pregnant does all they will eat, of both hay and grain, while the young are nursing. At 15 days of age, the young Belgians begin to eat oats with their mother. I do not believe in fussing with rolled oats. They make a paste which usually causes trouble in the stom- achs of the young Belgians, making a lumpy mass which is in- digestible. Use the whole oats. If they are too hard for them, they will husk them and bite off the hard ends. Belgians from six weeks to three months old should have all the feed they will clean up, morning and night. At the end of three months, when the bucks and the does should be sepa- rated, shut off their feeding and feed a limited amount, or they will get too fat. Feed nursing does and young stock until three months of MANGER OR RACK FOR HAY, NAILED TO SIDE OF HUTCH age full feed twice a day, all they will clean up. Water twice a day. Feed all other Belgians grain in the morning and hay in the evening and water twice a day. If you use a manger, keep hay before them all the time. A buck extensively used for breeding wants full feed twice a day. If you feed your Belgians too much, you will put tco much kidney fat on them and you will miss the racy look which you are after. Full rations for those that need it, as before specified, and half rations for all others, is the correct proportion. A breeder can raise tons of carrots cheaply, and they are good at all times. Parsnips are fine for nursing does, but they are too expensive for steady diet. Swede turnips (or rutabagas, the large turnips) are all right, but do not feed HOW TO FEED 53 the common table turnip. As a rule do not feed apples, table turnips, lettuce and cabbage. Keep those things away unless you wish to take chances on their gorging and killing them- selves. Improper feed will cause dysentery. In feeding swedes, or rutabagas, begin lightly. They will not give dysentery like common turnips. Never feed more than is cleaned up in a reasonable time, say 20 minutes, when feeding green food. Stick closely to the rule with hay when you are also feed- ing green food. Salt Belgians once a week by putting salt in their drinking water. Do not place a piece of rock salt in the hutch. In some cases they will lap a piece of rock salt, in other cases they will not. The breeder is never sure that the salt is be- ing eaten. The object of salt is to purify the blood and that is why it is given. Incidentally it stimulates the appetite. You will know that the salt gets into the blood of the Belgians when you give it to them in their drinking water. Mix up the salty water in a drinking vessel, and taste the mixture your- self to see that it is not too briny. You want a pleasant sa- line solution, such as you could drink yourself, and which would do you good if you did drink it. You will find them lap- ping greedily a salt mixture made just right. By observing the habits of wild rabbits, we know that they peel the bark off trees. This craving for tonic bark should be satisfied in the case of all Belgians by feeding them bark once in 10 days. Cottonwood bark is bitter and a fine tonic for Belgians. Sumac is all right. In the West you will find the sumac trees stripped by rabbits. Peach, apple or willow bark may be used. Some varieties of willow need to be fed cautiously, if at all. Taste the bark, whichever it is, your- self, to determine its bitterness and tonic qualities. If you are in doubt about a bark, feed it to a cheap Belgian, and if it survives, you will be justified in using it generally. Put the limbs into the hutches once ever 10 days, to be peeled by the Belgians. The effect of this bark is to tone up the system of the Belgian and produce a smooth coat of fur. I use a feed trough in the rearing hutch. The best thing I have found to be small earthern crocks or butter jars which may be had for 60 cents 2 dozen. When six weeks old, place the whole litter in the rearing 54 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS hutch, and keep them there, both sexes, until three months old. They will get plenty of exercise playing and hopping over each other. No hurdle is needed. One Belgian in a hutch of that size would get less exercise than six. If a doe has more than eight young, which is all nature permits her to accommodate, do not kill off the extra ones at random right away. Watch them from day to day and kill the little ones that are not strong enough to reach the moth- g' | a We ( WW Wz S| a _/f —~ Yy4 | < Pam SELF-FEEDER FOR OATs. As the Belgians eat at the base of the rim the grain falls down in the chamber as needed, and none is wasted. er’s milk, and which are crowded out of the way at every feeding time by the others. Some does have no trouble in raising 10. In feeding her young, the doe arches her belly over the nest, and the young rise up on their haunches to grasp the teats. It is well known that we can feed a certain amount of laxa- tive and make the fur of an animal sleek and glossy. If the animal is in moult, the laxative will make the moult slip out quicker. Remember that in feeding for exhibition when show time approaches. LESSON SEVEN. EXPERIENCES IN FEEDING. No. 100—‘“I keep mine upon the best food obtainable, namely, oats, sweet hay, dry clover, swedes, carrots, sprouted gray peas, sow-thistles, dandelions, green tares, and I con- sider the above by far the best of all kinds of food for rab- bits in every variety. Swedes never scour (produce diar- rhoea); carrots are capital diet for improving the condition of the fur, producing a silky, glossy appearance to the coats, and should be given sparingly when moulting or shedding the fur. Does, in a few days after eating sprouted peas freely, will be ready for pairing. I like sow-thistles for does and young ones, as they contain a quantity of juice or milk. They should be given two or three times daily, fresh and sparingly. Green tares I highly approve of, for milch dees and their offspring especially, and I consider that, pro- vided they are fresh, net wet, they are the best of green meat for producing nourishing milk, but they should be given sparingly night and morning, or, if possible, even three times daily. All roots should be carefully washed and wiped quite dry, or diarrhoea may susan set in. Should that appear, a dish of cold water should be at once placed in the hutch and replenished twice daily. It is a positive cure. It will cure 95 per cent. of the patients so treated. Plenty of clean sweet hay, dry clover and oats, and a little barley meal mixed with warm water into a firm, thick paste should be supplied. But no other food must be given for a week at least after the attack has ceased. The above is well worthy of every rab- bit fancier’s attention. I cannot too strongly recommend such a valuable remedy, as its result is the most certain known. I have spent a little fortune over my animals, and have come to a decided opinion that, except in cases of 56 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS diarrhoea—when, as I have said above, water is a certain cure—ill specimens are best killed at once, as, though you may save an occasional one, you run the risk of losing many others from their taking the disease. Linseed meal crushed in its oil, say one pound, well mixed to eight pounds of best barley meal (or any other good meal) with aniseed two ounces, gentian one ounce, nitre one and one-half ounces, is my favorite condiment. Mix it into a thick paste and give it to the rabbits night and morning, as much as they will eat. It produces milk, it is most nourishing, it tends to produce coats glossy and smooth, it acts upon the kidneys, thus preventing colds, and lastly, it causes a good appetite, as it is sweet and bitter, with tonic qualities. A day or two before the does are due to kindle I like to place a pan of cold water in the extreme end of their hutch from the bed compartment, as they experience great thirst about their la- bor time, and will drink most freely of water, and this simple precaution will frequently prevent their eating their off- spring.” No. 101—‘‘My idea of feeding is as follows: First and fore- most, regularity is of the utmost consequence. I feed twice a day—in the morning with whole oats and green food, swedes or turnips in the winter months, and at night I give meal mixed up with hot water into a stiff paste. They must be kept in a cool place, for if you keep them in a hot rab- bitry they will never do well, and will be far from healthy. I always keep mine in a cool place, out in the yard—with just a wooden covering over the top of the hutches—and where the sun cannot reach them, so that I keep them very cool.” d No. 102—‘Malva and. green alfalfa are good for nursing does if they are accustomed +o green food, but don’t give too much. If the doe is poor, a little bread and milk is the best thing for her. Of course, the milk must be sweet. A nursing doe should always have a plentiful supply of clean food in her hutch. Oregon oats I prefer to any other grain, but wheat is good for a change, and so is rolled barley, but too heating in summer. Youngsters at two weeks are very fond of rolled oats or wheat, and it is very good for them. They will soon learn to eat aimost everything, enjoying car- rots at three weeks of age. Do not feed too much green stuff, unless they come from stock accustomed to be fed on it. After weaning them, give bread and milk if possible, EXPERIENCES IN FEEDING. 57 for a week or so at least,.and the warm morning mash and a little well cured hay. Bread and milk is certainly the best of food for a nursing doe and her young. Never let it sour in their pens. Every rabbitry should keep a cow. It would add considerably to the health and strength of the stock. Salt is essential to rabbits. It should either be given in their water once a week, or a piece of rock salt should be hung up in each hutch, so that they can help themselves if they need it, or the grain may be soaked in salt and water and then put on trays to dry before using. Some rabbits are raised entirely on malva and green stuffs, but I would not advise you to feed it to fine stock unless it is accustomed to it. It produces slobbers in the young very often. A good warm mash for Belgians is made ty mixing boiled flaxseed with sufficient feed meal and bran so that it will crumble in your hand. Add a little salt. Rabbits do not like any sloppy food. Give them only what they will eat up clean. If any is left over, it should be removed before it sours.” No. 103—‘‘I do not advocate much green food, except car- rots, during the time the young are suckling, as it often affects the milk, and dcranges the bowels of the young, hence so many deaths through scours. Let the young stay with the doe until they are six or seven weeks old, and let the doe rest two or three weeks to recover her strength be- for breeding again, rearing and feeding. At six or seven weeks I take away my young and place them in a large butch, and give them ernshed oats, milk and bread, barley meal paste, and carrots occasionally, until about three months old, then I allow them the same diet as the older ones, which consist of oats, carrots, swede turnips, dande- lion, sow-thistle, clover, tares, hare parsley, acorns and bar- ley meal paste mixed with crushed linseed. I always feed twice a day about 8 o’clock in the morning and the same time in the evening, and those which have not quite eaten all up get no more until the next meal. For my young rab- kits I use a trough with five partitions from the edge of the dish to the cylinder, so that when they are feeding they do not push one another away, but each rabbit has just room fur its own head. I also prefer a lid on the top, as it vre- vents the young ones getting inside and injuring themselves, and thus often saves the fancier much anxiety and loss.” No. 104—“Feed no damaged hay or grain, nothing but clear, bright hay and sound, plump grain. Don’t keep old 58 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS does to take up room at three years of age; their usefulness is about over. Do not feed all they will gorge of cabbage. It will bloat the old ones and give the young ones scours. Dampness and dirt is a Belgian’s worst enemy. Avoid these and many difficulties will be overcome. Watch for barren does, but don’t give them up too soon, some prove in the end to be excellent breeders. Do not forget to feed salt. We would soon crave it if deprived the taste of it for an indefinite length of time. Cottonwood branches and leaves are well liked by the hares, and must be beneficial. They seem to crave something bitter.” No. 105—‘The following will make a good diet table for ordinary purposes, but of course it may be varied according to the resources of the fancier. 1st day: During the winter give a portion of swede turnip or a piece of carrot, and a handful of sweet meadow hay; that will do for the morning feed of one day. In the evening feed about 7 o’clock upon whole oats, if the animals be full grown or almost matured. Young rabbits, up to three menths, may have crushed oats and a little bran, as their teeth are less able to masticate the hard, whole grain. 2d day: In the morning give a few oats and a little fine bran, turnip, beetroot or carrot; and in the evening give a handful of clover hay and a warm mash made as follows: Take half the auantity required of the leaf which falls from the clover hay, and scald it with boiling water, allowing it to remain in the water for about an hour; then add pollards, fine sharps, and patent rabbit food (of each one-third), a small quantity of whole linseed (which has previously been boiled to a jelly), and a small quantity of food for cattle (prepared and sold at the stores). Mix the whole into a stiff crumbly mass and give, while it is still warm. 3d day: Gray peas, soaked for 24 hours, and then laid out until sprouted, may he given on the morning of the third day. About two tablespoonfuls of these peas may be al- lowed to each adult rabbit at any time, but to the large va- rieties may be given a little more. Too many peas so pre- pared are injurious to health, as they tend to swell more than fatten, although they are very valuable for producing fine, short coats, if given in moderation. Evening feed, oats and a little turnip or carrot. 4th day: Morning. Again turnips or mangold, with a little bran and oats, not forgetting some hay, which, if they eas wee a Se se Die it Hace mn fi ul? ii Photograph by the Author. Copyright, 1901, by the New England B. H. Co. TYPE NO. 4. A Belgian with excellent length of limb, arch of back and fineness of bone. Shape of front foot is absolute perfection. HXPERIENCES IN FEEDING. 61 dc not care to eat will serve for bedding. Evening (espe- cially if cold weather). Give them a supper of warm mash made as directed for the second day, omitting the purchased prepared food, but adding a good handful of clover hay. A small pinch of flowers of sulphur for each rabbit. No. 106—“In feeding mash, I have found that to give the food immediately after mixing, and whilst in a warm state, is the more beneficial and satisfactory. After the food has become cold, as a rule, the animal does not eat it with half the relish that it does when given warm. Also, the swell- ing process goes on chiefly during the mixing, and what lit- tie. if any, takes place after does not do the slightest injury. Rabbits, when in a confined state, should have at least one warm meal during the day.” No. 107—‘“‘There has been a great deal written about feed- ing. some fanciers recommending such a variety of food, both ip green meat, corn and meal of various sorts, they seem to forget that the majority of fanciers are people with lim- ited means and income. This great variety of food is not es- sential to keep rabbits in good condition. I have been in the fancy some years now, and I think I may safely say no one has been more successful than I have, and my rabbits have been fed on a very limited variety of food. My plan of feeding is as follows: I feed twice a day, morning and evening. The morning meal consists of green meat, such as cauliflower, broccoli, or savoy leaves, a handful of bar- ley, and a piece of nice sweet hay or clover. The evening meal, same as morning. There are many other green stuffs, such as dandelion, sow-tnistle, wild parsley, etc. In winter, when green food becomes scarce, I give swedes, turnips or carrots, with corn and hay as before. I am not a believer in pollards, sharps, bran, barley meal, etc. Barley meal sometimes consists of all the mouldy and fusty sweepings of the mill, and the others are very little better. These things will, if not good, put the rabbits out of sorts very quickly, and in many cases prove fatal. I can speak with some authority on this subject, having had some experience in the corn trade. A iittle hemp seed is very nice for them in the proportion of a pint to a gallon of corn. This will make the coat look very nice and glossy.” No. 108—‘“I venture to make a few remarks on the sub- ject generally, having heen a successful breeder for many years. My remarks may, perhaps, be worth reading, al- 62 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS though my experienc may differ from many of our great fan- ciers. To prove my statement is not far wrong, I can safely say I seldom lose a rabbit, except a few years since, when I followed the advice of a great rabbit keeper who recom- mended that the houses snould be Kept at a certain tempera- ture, with diets at regular times. Acting on his advice, I built a house, and kept to my instructions, but oh, what a fate was mine. I lost nearly all I bred. Old ones moulted out of season, and all my stock got in a bad, weakly state, suffering from colds, etc. I was so disgusted that I felt in- clined to give up the fancy altogether, but nil desperandum. I went back to my old system, and can now show any one who pleases a stock not to be laughed at in their rough and ready state. The first and main thing in rabbit keeping is to get good hard and healthy specimens, not those brought up in such houses, and treated as I have before mentioned. Keep them outdoors in the fresh air, with certain protection against wet and wind. They will then live and thrive on aimost any kind of food givea them. My rabbits have al- most everything a garden produces, in season, and as much as they can eat, but to c»unterbalance the effects of so much green food I always give them any amount of good, sweet hay, and as much as they will eat of old, hard clover. If I find the least signs of looseness I give a little flour mixed with their evening meal, which consists of good fresh brew- ers’ grains, and sharps or ground oats. As to feeding, my system is to feed twice a day only, between 7 and 8 in the morning, and 6 and 7 in the evening. The remainder of the day they are left yuiet, as Nature intended them to be. My morning meal is whole oats as good as can be got; they are the cheapest. As soon as they have eaten enough to stay them, they have any amount of green food in season, namely, wild parsley, dandelion, poppies, hogweed (the lat- ter by far the best of any wiid food). The poppy is one of the most valuable rabbit-teeding stuffs we have. At certain times of the year I feed on scarcely anything else but that and oats for their morning meal, and grains and ground corn for their evening meal (always keeping plenty of hay in the hutches). I used to send out into the cornfields twice a week for a cartload of the red poppy. We seldom see the white about here. I feed almost solely on this for months. A great many of the fine young fat tame rabbits in the mar- ket are fed on nothing else but hay and poppies at certain EXPERIENCES. IN FEEDING. 63 times of the year. Of garden produce, I give cabbage, cauli- fiower and broccoli preferred, pea and bean haulm, lettuce in moderation. In addition to above, I grow a good deal of chicory and comfrey, which I consider the best all-around foods ivr rabbits, and all true fanciers, if convenient, should grow them largely. My winter green food is carrots, swedes and celery.” No. 109—‘As the entire South is interested in Belgian hare raising, and so many inquiries as to feed and care of hares come to me by every mail, I wish to state that pea vine hay is equal, if not superior, to alfalfa. I started feeding one feed of nice, new, clean, alfalfa hay, and one of pea vine hay, with pea pods mostly matured. In less than ten days, they would eat pea vines, pods and all, clean, while the alfalfa was partly eaten and pulled about. I watched this for nearly eight weeks, and am persuaded that pea hay is excellent for Belgian hares and I believe they will flourish upon it. Now, as to the advantage of the pea vines over al- falfa, for the South here, is the fact that good hay of any kind is a scarce article in the Southern states generally, and is very hard to get in many parts, but pea vine hay can be raised three crops a year anywhere, and one square rod will raise enough to sustain all the hares needed for a fam- ily, and is as cheap in proportion for the more extensive breeder. I am sure this information will be welcomed by ali owners of Belgian nares, and those who are studying the industry, especially in the Gulf states, which, by reason of the short, wild winters, are so well adapted to the raising of Belgian hares.” No. 110—‘In about 24% to 3 weeks the young will begin to eat. Now watch that voung do not get too much green food. I prefer feeding dry clover hay until young are at ieast five weeks old. I give them every morning, mash composed of one-half fine cut clover hay (but not mouldy), the other half oats, better rolled oats for very young hares, cornmeal and bran, in equal proportions. I put up a little bit of salt in it and mix it gocd. Then I moisten the whole with one-half sweet milk and one-half water, but only moisten it; do not make it mushy. This stale bread soaked also partly in milk and water, and good clover hay, is sufficient to make them grow. See that the little hares cannot run over drink- ing vessels, as it will kill them if they get frequently wet. Do not be afraid to feed your young growing stock oats once a 64 CRABTRER’S INSTRUCTIONS day. It will make them strong. Hares do not get sick from eating oats. The trouble must be looked for somewhere else. Give your young hares freedom, that is. to a certain extent, and you will see them growing wonderfully and be healthy. When I have several does with young about six weeks old, I put about two dozen young hares in a wire run about 15 feet square, and put a long box, or hollow iog, in centre, but see that rain does not get in.” No. 111—‘‘My method of feeding is to give them, both in summer and winter, a little sweet oat straw, and they seem always to relish it right well; and then what is left does for bedding. I then give them a little sweet hay, and this they take eagerly, by way of a change. In the summer time I feed them on dandelion, grass, prickly comfrey, cauliflower leaves, common dock, parsley, chicory, and give occasionally a few sprigs of red or green sage, mixed with other green food, which has a tendency to warm and nourish them. This green food I give at midday. In the morning I feed on whole oats—good oats, for they are the best and cheapest— and in the evening I repeat the feeding, and my does with litters I again supply with green food. The young fancier, and the old one as well, should never give an excess of cabbage, lettuce or turnip tops, unless he wishes to scour his rebbits to death. I never feed on this detelerious food, and many eminent fanciers I find denounce the cabbage diet. In the winter I give oats, soft meal of brain, Indian meal, oatmeal, barley meal and linseed meal, mixed into balls just sufficient for one rabbit. This I supply three times a week, besides plenty of zood oat straw and hay swede turnips and carrots; but too many swede turnips have a tendency te scour the rabbits, and when this is perceived they should not have any more of tnem for a day or two, but should be supplied copiously with cold water, oats and hay, and they will soon be right. Some fanciers are fond of giving soaked and sprouted peas, but I have a strong objection to them, on account of their causing flatulence, although they are very nutritious, and quickly form flesh.” No. 112—‘‘Breeding of the hare in Southern California has many of the advantages that breeding of poultry does, ow- ing to our mild climate. We have no snow and freezing weather to guard against, but bunny will catch cold here same as elsewhere. By taking time by the forelock and bunny by the back of the neck, and applying a mixture of EXPERIENCES IN FEEDING 65 cne part turpentine and two parts coal oil, with a free use of salt, we have been able to check and subdue this affec- tion, thus preventing its assuming its worst form, snuffles. We also feed occasionaily both eucalyptus leaves and hoar- hound, which are both excellent tonics and correctives, and avoid all sloppy foods, and use care in feeding green foods. Hares must become accustomed to green foods gradually, and we prefer to feed nursing does no green foods what- ever. Belgians oftentimes display marked individual tastes in regard to their rations. For instance, we have ore buck that under no persuasion will eat oats, while an- other is particularly fond of this food. California breed- ers feed alfalfa hay mostly, and crushed barley forms the leading ration, which the hares like very much.” No. 113—“‘The doe should have good, sound grain, fresh water and sweet, fresh hay that is well cured and not wa- tery. If green food is fed it should be done sparingly. The ‘best vegetable food is carrots. It will be but a few weeks when the young -vill begin to run around the box and out into the runs. They will relish the carrots. Care should be taken with the water dish. One should be used that will not allow the youngsters in their frolicking to fall in and die in the spring time of their youth.” No. 114—‘‘When first IT commenced to keep rabbits, I used to feed them three times a day, and often found they had only half eaten up what I had given them. Then I tried twice—night and morning—but still found that much I had given them was left. Then I decided to feed only once a day, and have found it not only better, but much cheaper, as they in almost every case eat all up, and are ready for the next meal. Thus I have not half the waste, and the rab- bits are in better condition, having more rest during the day. I, of course, do not include the does with young in this rule. I give to each doe bread and milk or other soft food (extra) each day. My general mode of feeding is as follows: At 8 p. m., a handful of best white old Scotch oats, a little green food or swede, a handful of sweet hay, and, twice a week (extra) a ball of fine sharps, mixed very. stiff with well beiled linseed. This last-named mixture will prove of great benefit to stock, both in respect to health, and keeping the coats in proper order. I have also found, especially in sum- mer time, when a rabbit is off its meat, and skulking in one corner, that a drink of cold water will often put it right. 66 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS In preparing rabbits for show, give, in addition, each day, a few gray peas which have been steeped in water for 24 hours, and then taken out and dried. To the bucks you may give a good handful, but with the does you must be more care- ful, as the peas are very heating and if given in too great a quantity, will cause the does to pull off their fur and make a false nest, thus spoiling them for show for some time. Place the specimen you intend to exhibit in a rather small- er hutch, keep it extra ciean, with a good supply of fresh hay daily. Take it out at least once a day, and give it a real good grooming, first with a rather hard brush, then with one rather softer and finish with a clean wash-leather. After keeping thus for a week, you will find it wonderfully im- proved, and ready to meet the keenest judge. Always be careful to give them a good feed before sending them to a show.” No. 115—‘“I have never found any feed for rabbits that keeps them in better health and condition than corn fodder, middlings and bran with cornmeal. This I prepare in the fol- lowing manner: Take one-half bushel of bran, one peck of middlings, two quarts\cornmeal. This I mix, and add two quarts to a bushel of corn fodder cut to one-half inch with feed cutter. Adda pinch of salt, and water enough to stick feed to corn stalks. I never had anything outside of this feed for eight months in the year, and never have a sick rabbit while using this manner of feeding. My rabbitry is 132 feet long by 18 feet in width. On each side of feedway, I have spaces for each pair of hares, 6x8 feet, enclosed by wire netting. My feed room is 16x18 feet, one and a half story high with a well of water in one corner of the room. I never fail to give my rabbits fresh water at least once a day. I have no trouble with diseases, and believe most diseases are caused by over feeding and improper care. Give a rabbit plenty of room to exercise, feed twice a day, see that they have plenty of clean water, and above all things keep away from them and let them alone, and you will have less com- plaint of sick rabbits.” No. 116—‘“‘My bunnies are kept in out door hutches, summer and winter, sheltered alike from damp, cold and wind. They are fed three times a day. In morning, as early as possible, I give a good feed of whole oats (the best that money can buy) or barley. At midday I give them as much greens as they can eat. In winter, of coarse, in ‘greens’, I include ear- EXPERIENCES IN FEEDING 67 rots, swedes, celery, beet and other roots. At night, I give a meal consisting of bran, oatmeal and Indan meal, equal parts of each, and well nixed with boiling water, and give warm; or, mixed with bran, barley meal, and pea dr bean meal. I give my rabbits any greens that a vegetable garden produces, with the exception of rhubarb leaves, and one other difference, that 1 give very moderately of cabbages, cauliflower leaves and turnip tops to my rabbits until they are four months old, »ut after that age they have as much as they like. I always bed my rabbits with sawdust, and I have proved (by a trial of some years) this to be, without exception, the best, cheayest, and by far the most healtoful. I often give a handful of good sweet hay, old clover, or dried lucerne to each rabbit, which they much enjoy; and I find, given this way, the hay, clover, etc., prove a cheap and good kind of food. As a change, bread and milk, given occasion- ally, is also very good tcr rabbits. The secret of successful feeding is so small that it lies in a nutshell, and the secret is this: Have large and well-ventilated hutches, in a warm and ventilated spot. Give your rabbits nothing but good sound food (whether green or dry) and feed in such small quanti- ties that they will eat up readily what you put into their hutches, and so be eager and ready for their next meal. Anyone with common sense will see two good reasons for doing so. (1) That by giving them what they can eat at once, you do away with the sight and smell of food, thereby saving your purse. (2) That rabbits with the sight and smell of food always in their hutches (like people) lose their appe- tites, and therefore, by not seeing and smelling food always in their hutches between meals, their appetite increases, and they enjoy each meal. Keep your rabbit hutches scrupulously clean, give as much green food as the inmates can eat, at the same time taking great care to give such a quantity of dry food as will overrule and keep down the tendency to loose- ness which too much greens are apt to produce. And lastly, bear in mind this rule, that the greater variety you give your rabbits, the more they will thrive. In conclusion, [ would advise all fanciers able to do so, to grow chicory, com- frey, carrots cauliflowers, cabbages, parsley, and potatoes, in large quantities.” No. 117—‘‘Good food is unquestionably essential, but the best is certainly not the most expensive. Between the two extremes of what a rabbit will not eat, and what is est to 68 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS give it, there is a wide ground for difference of opinion. The real secret lies in the fact that the conditions under which they are kept—i. e. temperature, locality and time of year— all have to be and are taken into considertion, and in their entirety form the perfect plan characteristic of the intelli- gent, and who is bound to be in time, the successful breeder. Rabbits require much more moisture than is generally sup- pesed. Many complaints, such as scurf, etc., are engendered by too much dry food. ‘Che grand point to be observed is the proper portion between the two, and here I advise as 2 simple rule to be observed, that when green food is given, @ handful of good sound hay or clover should accompany it. Much discussion has arisen :s to the best green food, and my enswer to the question, ‘What is the best?’ is, ‘That which the individual breeder finds he is most successful with. Dandelion I am especially fond of, particularly for does with young, and frequently make long excursions to obtain it. I strongly rec- ommend rabbit keepers who have a garden to cultivate chic- ory. When green food is scarce or bad, I give the matured rabbits, with satisfactory results, water in its place, and does in and with young, milk, with one-third warm water added; but I prefer, when obtainable, green food, for the properties it contains other than moisture. I conclude my notes on green food with the following, which does not tend to show that the peculiarities of rabbits’ taste or appetite are very limited. An old doe, for the benefit of her health, was allowed the run of my yard; meanwhile, those responsible for the doimes- tic part of my establishment threw out the whole of the leaves of a bundle of rhubarb. This was not discovered by me till she had devoured st least half, and I naturaily anti- cipated some serious results. As she appeared all right so, ir order to experiment, [ let her have the remainder the day following. This was several months ago, and she is still alive and well. Nevertheless, !' do not recommend rhubarb or its leaves as a diet. Of dry foods, clover stands at the top of the list, and before corn, that ‘s, if you get the right sort. Oats should be given moderately and should not be the bleached ones. I am rather partial to the Russian oats (black husk). Too many oats rather tend to precocity with the young, and the husk is, moreover, of a very irritating character to the digestive organs. I have stopped scouring by discontinuing them. In any case, select those with thin husks. Barley, though successful with some few, I never use except when f i “fh Copyright, 1901, by the New England Belgian Hare Co. TYPE NO. 5. A long-bodied, rather coarse-boned Belgian with too flat an arch of back, too full and squa Photograph by the Author. breast, and re 1 showing a distinct dewlap. Has a beautiful round eye and good ear carriage. EXPERIENCES IN FEEDING 71 rabbits husk their oats. I consider them of too dry and heat- ing a nature, most especially for indoor rabbits when kept in warm temperatures. Wheat is a good food, and I occa- - sionally vary it by giving a little buckwheat. Gray peas. soaked 24 hours, and strained, are also a capital food. Rice I totally object to, neither do I care for potatoes, much iess their peelings. ! have never yet found it necessary to foliow a diet table which gives a constantly varying food, put ad- fere to the plan I have successfully adopted almost contin- uously since I first kept ravbits, now nearly 20 years. It has the merit of economy, en‘ that the results attained are equal- ly advantageous the specimens produced by me, extending over a lengthened period, are, in my estimation, abundant proof.” No. 118—‘“In the first place, youngsters are ready to be taken away from their mother when six weeks or two months old. The first meal should be about 8 a. m., and should con- sist of hay. Rabbits are particularly fond of hay, more so if it be sweet. After it has been trampled on, bunny, who is a very particular animal, will refuse to eat it; so in order to get over this, throw in just as much as will last the day. Along with the hay, in winter and beginning of spring, give the rabbits swede turnips and carrots, cut up into small pieces; in summer, give them a smail quantity of green meat. Mind, l say small quantity, because we are now dealing with young stock. I do not advocate the disuse of green meat altogether, but [I warn the inexperienced against giving young stock toc much of it: and I reiterate what I have previously said, that if you do the effect will be disastrous. Evening feed should censist of either crushed cats or a mixture, in equal quanti- ties, of barley meal, pollard and bran, prepared with boiling water, and of a consistency which may be understood by the use of the term ‘crumbly.’ Now, before proceeding further, let me say that after I clean my hutches, by scraping and brushing out of all accumulation of matter, I sprinkle the floors plentifully with sawdust, more particularly in the cor- ners which have obtained the most refuse. (Rabbits also in this are very clean, nearly always going to one particular corner.) The sawdust absorbs all moisture, and so tends to keep the inmates comfortably dry under foot—a very impor- tant thing. Chopped straw is a very fair substitute for saw- dust, but there is a difficulty connected with it, which is the inability of the majority of fanciers to obtain it. On the ae CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS other hand, sawdust is equally as good, and easier to be pro- cured. If a rabbit is seen to grow big about its belly, discon- tinue the use of green meat altogether for some days. Give the subject or patient pieuty of exercise, and thus save its life, because, if this is allowed to go on for any long period, it terminates fatally. The poor little thing, suddenly tumb- ling on its back, begins throwing itself violently about. and exhibiting all the symptoms of a child taken with a convul- sive fit. The disease does not attack an old rabbit except very rarely, when its existence finishes by a wasting or pin- ing away. I keep my young stock until they attain the age of from four to five months in warm lofts, and they have al- ways water to drink. The portion of my pets which I keep in hutches I give water to drink, in warm weather, once or twice a day. My modus operandi of feeding for exhibition is as follows: Morning, plentiful supply of hay, and a piece of turnip, carrot, or green meat. Evening, a mash consisting of either barley meal and pollard, bran meal, or pollard and bran in eaual quantities, prepared with boiled linseed. If rabbits are fed according to the above, they will always be healthy, with a bright look about them, and withal shapely, plump, grand, and always a source of pleasure.” No. 119—‘‘It is now about 49 years since I bought my first rabbit, a doe. She had seven or eight young ones, and I was cautioned particularly agpinst giving them too much green meat. I fed them on the best of food—oatmeal, barley and pea meal, with a little green meat; at three weeks old they showed signs of pot bellies. I gave them less green meat. They grew poorer and worse, and at last nearly all died. TI went on for years with but indifferent success, and through the teaching of an old friend I at last found that I was starv- ing them on the best of food, namely, feeding them against their nature, and not giving sufficient water to nourish them. I altered my course, and have had the best of success. TI do not lose one a year, and a vot bellied one I have not nad for years. I feed my does well with barley, oats or pea meal, mixed with pollard, wet with cold water just sufficient to roll in crumbs. I feed them with this, night and morning, and with as much green stuff as they will eat, from the day the young first crawl from their nest until I kill or sell them. They have always green stuff before them, taking away each time I feed them what is left from the previous meal; but it should not be given wet. I as a ruie get it one day before I want it, and EXPERIENCES IN FEEDING 73 spread it abroad, to get thoroughly well dried before feeding with it. With most rabbit keepers, their rabbits will leave anything for a bit of green meat. Mine will leave green stuff for any dry food. I lately killed a common prick-eared rabbit, nine weeks old, for a pie. The kidneys were covered with fat, and larger than those of a common wild one. Rab- bits can in this way be raised to give a good profit for eat- ing purposes. All they reguire is good room, not too confined for air, to be kept clean, and regularly fed according to my 1ule, and they will pay the keeper. Let some four rabbit keepers try this. But ! must caution them against one thing —not to give their pets a lot of green stuff one day, and the next none, or they will gorge, and come to grief; but if regu- larly fed, and plenty is always before them, they will thrive and prosper. Do not scald their food—it is against nature; and instead of littering them with sawdust, use _ short, cut straw; they like it better, and amuse themselves by nib- bling a bit here and there.” No. 120—‘As one of the largest breeders of poultry and rabbits in France, I use this method of feeding: The dry fodder, such as hay, ete., is always placed in the rack, the grain and oats in the trough. The soup and potatoes are siven in a dish. The trough and dish are kept scrupulously clean, so that the food has a good flavor; and above all, care is taken that it is not contaminated by the urine of the ani- mal. The midday meal comes from the kitchen garden. By preference the mothers have milk producing plants, such as lettuce, groundsel, bindweed, plantain, vetches, the vine of French beans and scarlet runners, pimpernel and fennel. Parsley is also very good, but it is only given to the does weaning their young, as we know the property of parsley is to dry up the milk. Cabbage stalks should be divided and, like cabbage, given in small quantities at a time; as also should the young shoots which come from the pruning of fruit trees—the peach ezvepted—the vine, young shoots of the elm, poplar, mulberry, lime, nut and the willow. The reots are carrots, parsnips, turnip, cabbage and beet root. This last is very watery and cold, and should be mixed with bran or meal. All these, accompanied with oats, barley and after-grass, form an excellent and very varied food. tt is good to accustom the young rabbits to eat soup; those which begin early are not affected when separated from the mother. This soup can be made from the water in which the plates 74 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS and dishes are washed, and in the water are boiled the peel- ings of vegetables—leeks, potatoes, etc. In the winter, to excite the appetite, I occasionally mix thyme with the dry food. The winter food being very dry, liquid must not be forgotten. Water is indispensable in the summer, also for the doe’s when littering, to calm the fever, and even during suck- ling, which causes must thirst. When the young are obliged to be weaned before they are six weeks old, they should have milk given in small troughs which have been well scaided and cleansed after each time of using. The food should be distributed with care, attention being paid that all are able to partake of it at the same time, or some would pine. After eack meal, the racks and troughs must be emptied. Should any food be left, the animals having breathed on it, would not touch it after. Potatoes must always be boiled. In a raw state they are hurtful. Wet grass or herbs, as well as that mowed or cut, and left in the sun, are bad. The most in- jurious herb is the red chickweed, found with the wild en- dive.” No. 121—‘When the bowels are relaxed by the frequent use of green food, I advise the use of a mixture of meal and water, or better still, porridge made from Indian meai; and, for the benefit of those who do not understand the approved mode of making meal norridge, I will explain the manner in which I make mine. In the first place, I take a saucepan which holds half a gallon, three parts fill it with water, and place it on the fire. When the water boils, I put in it a packet of cattle spice. The meal should then be taken up and sprinkled in with one hand, while the contents are being stirred with the other. In this manner proceed until the porridge has. boiled so thick that it cannot longer be stirred. It is then poured or spread out on a board or piece of iron to cool. This quantity is sufficient as a meal for 20 full-grown rab- bits. Some people may say, why go to the trouble of making porridge for rabbits? ‘These people little know that it is the least troublesome method of feeding them. I can make the above quantity in about ten minutes. During the summer months I give this porridge as the evening meal to my rab- bits at least four times a week. I sometimes pour boiling water (in which I mix a teaspoonful of curry powder) over barley meal, and mix into a dry mess with bran; and this is very good as a change. Oats, and what few vegetables they get, constitute the morning meal all the year around. I have EXPERIENCES IN FEEDING 15 also plucked the wild sorrel and dried it for winter use, hav- ing found it a capital preventive against scurvy, which in some rabbitries is very prevalent during the winter months, although I can safely say that with my mode of feeding rab- bits they are seldom or never troubled with this disease. ’ No. 122—‘T fearlessly assert that rabbits require a pre- ponderance of moist food; that a great bulk of the diseases to which they are subject and many deaths occur through giving so much dry food. Clover I place at the top of the list, from the large quantity of saccharine matter it contains, which I have mentioned is requisite for the development of animal heat. It should be the first cut, as fine and leafy as you can get, and take care also to have it as green as possible, discard- ing at once any brown or heated stuff, as you might almost as well give them sawdust to eat as this. The same remark ap- plies to hay. Middlings is one of the most essential dry foods, and contains a large proportion of bone-forming substances (5 per cent.) and contains, also, 18 per cent. of flesh forming ma- terial, of which iatter peas contain the highest, 25 per cent. while in bone-forming substances, only contain 2 per cent. Care must be taken to get the right sort. Biscuit middlings must be insisted upon. The following has been for the last ten years, and is now, my method of using the above: I infer a truss of clover has been selected. I have a box that will con- tain sufficient for the day’s supply. At the bottom is fitted a drawer, immediately above which, nailed to the side of the box, is some one-half inch mesh wire netting—in point of fact, it resembles, and is to all intents and purposes, a sieve. The clover being put in at the top, the small or heavy particles pass through into the drawer. One handful of this to three of middlings is scalded, and thoroughly mixed together—not wet, let it be crumbling—and given warm to each rabbit the first thing in the morning (the earlier the better) and a similar al- lowance about 7 in the evening. Naturally they live chiefly on vegetable diet, I contend that any food which interferes with what Nature has prescribed for them should be looked upon with suspicion, even though they are kept in hutches. With this mixture of clover and middlings, their appetite for green food is increased. The last thing at night they have a similar feed as at midday, and those that have young six weeks old have at both these meals, in addition to the oats, some gray peas that have been soaked for 24 hours in cold water and strained. I observed just now that green food 76 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS should be liberally given, and I wish this to be accepted in its full sense. They will not eat too much of it. It must be con- tinued with scrupulous regularity. It is the departure from this rule that generally produces pot belly—all today, and then none for two or three days. If by any chance you have a break of this kind in supplies, a small quantity must be given at first when you resume, increasing the supply gradually till you work up to the regular allowance. I might add, where oats are used as the staple food, a little water given twice a day will be found beneficial. I have adopted a similar plan when green food is scarce, and strongly recommend it at that time, whatever the system of feeding may be. At seven or eight weeks, does with young on them should have added to ‘the middlings and clover one part of barley meal, which will assist the young in moulting. ‘How much am I to give them each time of feeding?’ some of our friends will ask. They must find this out for themselves. No rule of quantity can be given. And here I imust enter my protest that rabbits are enormous eaters, and I meet it with the retort that their keepers are not infrequently enormous wasters. Of course, it is easy enough to throw in two or three handfuls of oats and a little green food, repeating this at intervals, ad infinitum; but such feed- ing is expensive, and is not productive of good results. A sim- ple rule of feeding is to observe whether any food remains from the previous meal, and if such should be the case, keep reducing the quantity given. I like to see an empty trough when | go to feed, and the rabbits come up to it when I open the hutch door. It is quite desirable to let the youngsters have some milk while still on the doe; in fact, a favorite food with a few of our breeders is a mixture of middlings, barley meal and milk, from the time the doe kindles. I prefer getting them to drink it before the morning and evening meals, com- mencing directly they leave the nest. Some will not take it, but those that will gain a considerable advantage. If cows’ milk is used, a little warm water should be added. Continue with either as long as you perceive beneficial results derived thereby and also remember that it considerably helps more matured animals, especially when out of condition. After they are weaned, gray peas soaked for 24 hours in cold water and strained may be given them at pleasure. Give also the mixture of clover, middlings and barley meal, only particularly observe that none is left from the previous meal. Do not be afraid of green food, but let them have plenty of dry clover at EXPERIENCES IN FEEDING 717 the same time. It is advantageous to let them have peas as soon as they can eat. There is one disadvantage, however, at- tending this plan. The peas act as a stimulating food on some does, who eat them greedily. A method adopted by some is to shut her in the bed place while the young eat the peas; but does not infrequently resent this estrangement which some- times is very objectionable. For this and similar reasons I lay great stress on giving the young milk until they are taken from the doe, and, where obtainable, that of the goat. When the young are ahout four months old, or even before, they must, if kept together, be closely watched, particularly if you have two bucks occupying the same hutch; and if once sepa- rated, they must not be put together again. A buck and doe can generally be kept longer. Carrots, of which white ones. are the best, may be given them when green food is scarce, but I object to many of either. ‘There is just one word of caution that must be given as to giving gray peas. Of course, it will be generally understood of what a forcing nature they are, and therefore. should the rabbits run at the eye, or have any apparent complaint, in whatever form it may present itself, discontinue the peas at once, otherwise the disease will be ag- gravated.” No. 123—‘‘Rabbits that are reared for the table should, if practicable, be kept in large quantities, loose, and not in single hutches. When the doe is suckling, all should be well supplied with food, which should be soft and succulent, but of not too aperient a nature. Young rabbits’ teeth are not strong enough to masticate whole oats or barley, and if grain be given them, it should be bruised or crushed until the rabbit has attained the age of two months. They should be fed with a good selection of green, succulent food, a large supply of clover and hay, and enough corn to keep them in condition: the latter should be crushed until the young rabbits are about three months old.. The profit will depend greatly upon the judgment with which this matter is managed. They may be put up for fattening at any age between three and six months. When taken from their mothers, two or three litters should be allowed to run together in either a pit or shed, care being taken that it is perfectly dry, or diarrhoea and rot will ensue. The average age when taken from their mothers will be two montns. It is diificult to say exactly what amount of corn should be given, but it may be stated as an average that a lit- tle under half a pint a day will be amply sufficient for young 78 CRABTREE’S INSTRUCTIONS ones of this age. A peck—16 pints—should last nearly five weeks for each one. A peck and a half, then, will do for seven or eight weeks, azid this will bring the young ones up to four months old. They may be fattened then, or they may be kept a month or two. With reference to the corn for these two months, oats and barley are about the best. Let these be given alternately, either daily or weekly, and for a change a little meal may sometimes be substituted. Oilcake is very good, if you can get them to take it, but their appetites have first to be educated. Bread crusts are very good and very profitable; they can be bought almost at a nominal price, and are very good flesh producers. If very stale, the crusts should, be slightly soaked, but should not be given with too much moisture in them, although, if you can afford to give milk, there is nothing better to bring them on, and in this case they may be given as moist as possible. Tea leaves mixed with the corn are also cheap and beneficial, as are also potatoes and po- tato peelings. An arrangement can easily be made with a baker for his refuse potato peelings, and among these will be found a good deal of the vegetable itself. Boil these and give them hot, mixed with bran. Scrupulously exclude bran from the corn trough; it is often given to make the corn go further, but it will be found to have quite a different effect.