ISF 453 .S7 ICopy 1 Commercial RABBIT FARMING AND THE FOOD SUPPLY M Complete Breeder's Guide PUBLISHED BY I Outdoor Enterprise Publishing Company Kansas City - Missouri 01 ii 101 11! u V^=ioi===M^ic=z:Jioj==::>\ ^ pf^m Mak b i3|y Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/commercialrabbitOOstah ^••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••* I A book for the education j I of Economists— \ i . % )f % A book of downright ad- vice to householders— I A business prospectus for % I Americans % J Capyright, 1918, by Edzv. H. Stahl J is ^ * '^ :{ A-********* J I i * PRICE, so CENTS J * $ MARCH, 1918 J is ^ ^ 3f COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING BELGIAN HARE COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING CONTENTS Page Introduction 6 What Is a Commercial Rabbit? 7 History and Origin _ 14 The Abortive Boom , 18 The Commercial Rabbit for Meat 23 How It Solves the Food Problem • • • • 29 Pertinent Statistics 32 Nutritive Value of Meat 32 The Commercial Rabbit Business 34 How to Begin 35 Houses and Hutches 38 Feeding 43 Breeding and Selecting 45 Care of the Young 47 The Utility 50 Diseases 51 Big Successes • • • ■ 55 The Future 55 Prolificacy . 56 Rabbits and War .... 58 Heredity 61 Useful Rabbit Notes , 62 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Belgian Hare Buck , 46 Belgian Hare Doe 8 Flemish Giant Doe . 10 Litter of Flemish Giants 15 Black Flemish Giant Buck 19 Young New Zealand Doe Zl Steel Gray Flemish Giant Buck c50 Housing and Hutches 39, 40, 41, 42 A Bunch of Fine Steel Gray Flemish Giants , 48 White Giant Doe 57 A Mastedonian Buck 44 New Zealand Buck 24 American Checkered Giant Doe . .^ Zd COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING ff2S2S2S2t250•o•o•°•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•o•■M »o»o»o«o»o«o«o»o»o«o«o»o«o»o«o«o«o«o«o«oeo«o«o«o«o«o»o«o«o«o«o«o«o»o«o«o»o»o»o»o»o»o«o«o«o»oW •O *c o* o< •O •( o» o« SS Si •O •( i INTRODUCTION I 8S 2S ss S8 THE AUTHOR. Cf.A5 15000 to«o«o*o 3»0»0»0« ss is is I "COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING" was | o§ gotten out with the meat end of the industry in §S view. s? o* ss •o §1 88 •O CO So The three breeds of hares best adapted for com- SS 2§ mercial purposes are the Belgian Hare Rabbit, the S8 Flemish Giant Rabbit, and the New Zealand Rabbit. SS ?S ■o wo o» o» •o mo o* o* •o The illustrations in this edition are of stock gg l| that were raised for size and hardiness more than §§ SS for the fancy points. The exhibition type of hare SS §8 finds little space in this book, as you must realize §8 SS that hares must be raised to be used for meat. In SS oS this way this industry will in time be one of the SS argest and will take its place with the other great SS outdoor industries. §§ SS ss ss ss ss •° I The contents of "COMMERCIAL RABBIT | §8 FARMING" may not meet with the approval of §8 So the fanciers who raise hares for a hobby and the •§ 8§ sport of winning- at the shows ; however, as this 88 88 book is boosting rabbits for meat, and is written §8 §8 from actual experience, we leave the fancy end of •§ 88 the industry to those who are more experienced in §8 Js that type of stock. Is COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING CHAPTER I WHAT IS A COMMERCIAL RABBIT? There are three kinds of rabbits — Commercial Rabbits, Game Rabbits and Pet Rabbits. Commercial rabbits are of several types, chief amongst which are, the Rufus Red Bel- gian Hare, the New Zealand Rabbit, the Flemish Giant Rab- bit. We will consider these different types in the ensuing paragraphs. GAME RABBITS Game rabbits are wild rabbits. The common wild rabbit, the jack rabbit and the hare come under this heading. It is well-nigh impossible to raise any of these types in captivity, as they seem to pine away and die. Even if it were possible to domesticate them, it would not be practicable to raise them for commercial purposes, as in most states there are game laws which prohibit the sale of game stock during certain months or seasons. Thus, it is well to bear in mind that commercial raDDits are not game rabbits and are not, there- fore, subject to the game laws. Passing over this question of whether it would be practicable to attempt to domesticate wild rabbits, the fact remains that wild rabbits are so small that it is not worth while. PET RABBITS Pet rabbits may be classed roughly as those of fancy colors, such as the Dutch Rabbit, the Angora Rabbit, the Himalayan Rabbit, the Polish Giant Rabbit, etc. In this class also may be included the numerous types of vari-colored stock raised by boys everywhere. The smaller types of pet rabbits are not worth raising for food because of their insig nificant weight, but the main argument against ,all of them, from a commercial point of view, is that their color somehow makes people reluctant to kill and eat them. It is said by many breeders that a white rabbit is just as good to eat as a commercial or game rabbit, while others claim that the meat of the pet rabbit is too sweet to be palatable. On this point I venture no opinion. I would not like to eat a white rabbit myself. Certain it is that very few women will prepare a pet rabbit for the table. The very idea seems to be revolting to them. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING COMMERCIAL RABBITS As before explained, commercial rabbits are of several types — mostly long-framed and heavy. The smallest type of pet rabbit will eat as much as a giant commercial rabbit, so it is well to bear in mind that,, from a business standpoint, it is folly to raise anything but commercial rabbits for food. THE RUFUS RED BELGIAN HARE The Belgian Hare is perhaps the most popular of all commercial rabbits. It is said to be the hardiest and most prolific. Belgian Hares are of two kinds — the common Gray Belgian and the Rufus Red. Both yield a fine-grained white venison that is highly nutritious and very palatable. No breeder disputes the fact that Belgian Hare venison is far superior to any other meat for food. It is tender, juicy and nutritious and may be cooked in a hundred different ways. It yields a higher percentage of net nutriment than chicken, beef, mutton or pork and is recommended by doctors as the ideal food for invalids. At maturity the Rufus Red Belgian weighs from seven to, nine ipounds, depending (upon the method of breeding-. When Rufus Red Belgians are bred for fancy or show purposes, weight is subordinate to shape and color, and the show standard calls for a weight of eight pounds. Utility Rufus Reds, however, may weigh all the way up tO' eleven pounds at maturity. It may not be amiss to insist here that an eleven-pound rabbit is quite a rabbit, especially when you consider that the wild rabbit dresses to only about two pounds or less. The Rufus Red Belgian Hare is very prolific. Four to six litters a year may be bred from this type, and anywhere from six to twelve young may be expected in each litter. It is commonly reported that a Rufus Red Belgian Hare will have from five to thirteen young in each litter, but it rarely happens that she will have less than six, and rarely that she will have more than eleven. THE FLEMISH GIANT RABBITS The Flemish Giant Rabbit is nearly twice as big as the Rufus Red, and quite as prolific. Litters of eight to eleven frequently occur. The Flemish Giant matures much more slowly than the Belgian Hare, reaching maturity at from twelve to fourteen months old. The weights of Flemish Giants irun from ten to twenty pounds at maturity, although 10 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 11 a twenty-pound Giant is rare. The average at maturity is about twelve to fourteen pounds. The meat of the Flemish is just as tender and delicious as that of the Belgian, and the skins are often made up into imitation furs. Because of its great weight, the Flemish is likely to become more and more popular as time goes on. For some unaccountable reason, the Steel Gray Flemish is more in demand than any other color, and yet it is hardly possible to breed a straight steel gray animal. Two steel gray parents may produce offspring in which several different shades appear, light and dark steel grays, and black. THE NEW ZEALAND RED RABBIT The New Zealand Red Rabbit is heavier than the Belgian Hare, but not quite so heavy as the Flemish. It is a com- paratively recent breed and is claimed to be very hardy, and as prolific as either the Flemish or Belgian. If well cared for, it produces a heavy carcass on very little feed. It is said to eat less than either Flemish or Belgian. Its meat is just as delicious and nutritious as that of the Belgian and the Flemish. COLOR The color of the Rufus Red Belgian Hare is a rich, ruddy Rufus red — a brownish, golden red. The best speci- mens have four red feet and a creamy belly. The Belgian breeds true to color. THE FLEMISH GIANT does not breed true to color. It generally comes in three shades— light gray, dark gray and jet black. Parents of one color nearly always produce offspring of several colors. The light gray types nearly always become slightly heavier than the others. It would seem that weight has been sacrificed in a great many in- stances in order to breed a truer steel gray. This is due b, the influence of the fanciers. If the utility of Commercial Rabbits is to be fully developed, an effort must be made to restrict the fanciers to their own field and prevent them from foisting their fancies on the Commercial side of the rabbit industry. The fanciers raise irabbits only to kill time, while the utility men are exerting every effort to increase the food value of the stock. THE NEW ZEALAND RED RABBIT breeds true to color. The perfect specimens are of an orange-red '~">lor. 12 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING FINE SPECIMEN NEW ZEALAND DOE COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 13 more lustrous than yellow, and yet not so gaudy as red. The New Zealand combines beauty with usefulness, and it has made great progress on the Pacific Coast, where it is raised for food in immense numbers. FANCY FIRMLY ESTABLISHED The question of color is bound up with the aims of the fanciers, to whom it is all-important. It is certain that com- mercial rabbits which come up to the standards of weight, shape and color set down by the various clubs, or by the parent body of all rabbit clubs — the National Breeders and Fanciers' Association — bring prices w4iich are very tempting to the beginner, even if misleading. Thus, while the New Zealand Red Rabbit was produced by skillful breeders for the purpose of supplying the maximum amount of meat for the minimum feed cost, it is a fact beyond dispute that the fanciers have almost wholly captured the field, and by means of high prices offered for well-shaped and well-colored ani- mals, forced the great majority of beginners into the "fancy" side of the industry. The same is true of the Belgian and Flemish. A heavy Steel Gray Flemish Giant at maturity, if it conforms to the standard promulgated by the fanciers, will bring anywhere from twenty-five to one hundred dollars, while if it were sold for meat, it would not bring more than three or four dollars. Again, a Rufus Red Belgian Hare that conforms to the fancy standard for weight, shape and color, will bring from eight to twenty dollars, while if it were sold for meat, it would not bring more than two or three dollars. The best method, therefore, is to breed for weight, and yet select and mate those specimens which will be likely to produce the best colors. Thus, a fair percentage of fancy stock can be raised by a commercial breeder and sold at high prices. The fancy animals should pay the entire expenses of the plant, leaving the returns on the utility stock clear profit. This, in fact, is the method of the world's biggest breeder of New Zealand Reds. A healthy and enthusiastic interest in the ''fancy" is bound to produce a keen spirit of co-operation and steady progress in the industry. In Flemish, weight is everything, and so the utility man has a good chance to convert his best stock into big money at any time. 14 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING CHAPTER II HISTORY AND ORIGIN The origin of commercial rabbits is shrouded in mystery ■ — chiefly because the breeders of intermediate types were peasants of Central, Northern and Western Europe, who were unable to record their work. Even today, most breeders of commercial rabbits 'are men of no education, who, when they do write to the trade magazines, flounder in a morass of silly personalities, petty vanity and pointless gossip— and when you finish reading their memorabilia, you experience a dizzy sensation, as though, in a dream, you had been listening to the address of a cock magpie relating his adventure while gathering petty silverware and shining trinkets to deposit amongst the eggs in his lady's nest. Ihe history of the Rufus Red Belgian Hare is more readily available than that of other types of commercial rab- bits. The Rufus Red was perfected by English breeders dur- ing a period of nearly one hundred years, and most of the books printed on the subject that give any real information are published in England. It would probably be necessary to obtain a copy of some pd'ominent English journal devoted to commercial rabbits in order to obtain the names of pub- lishers or sellers of these invaluable books. Very few are published in America that really satisfies the beginner's crav- ing for real information. It does not follow that such infor- mation is not to be had in America, but it would require the work of a trained journalist to interview the successful fanciers and utility men of this country and to study the current pet stock and commercial rabbit magazines in order to gather that information into one volume that would present the sub- ject in readable and comprehensible form. The main weakness in most books published and sold by prominent breeders and fanciers is that they present the sub- ject from the "fancy" angle only. As a matter of fact, the average beginner is not entering the industry for glory, but for profits. He does not care two whoops in Hades foa* the niceties of color, shape and ticking,, fine bones, carriage and grooming — what he is out after is MEAT' — and MONEY. The meat and money is in commer- cial rabbits. The standard for Rufus Red Belgian Hares is eight pounds at maturity. A Belgian that weighs ove^ that is very COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 15 16 COMMERCIAL f^ABBIT FARMING likely to be disqualified in the show room. This proves the fallacy of the present Association methods. If the commer- cial rabbit — and especially the Belgian Hare— is to have any firm foundation as a meat animal, the standard must not put a damper on the aims of the utility. Suppose, for instance, that hogs were disqualified at county fairs because of weight and preference given to lean, shapely animals. Manifestly, this would make of live stock raising a profession for the idle rich — a mere time-killing enterprise that would stifle the am- bition of farmers. The same principle holds good in com- mercial rabbits. The ambition of fanciers to breed fine-boned animals is good — we don't want bones in our meat animals — we want flesh. The foregoing- paragraphs may seem to be a digression. but the questions discussed are intimately bound up with the history and origin of Belgian Hares. The English fanciers, being for the most part hobby-riders, have consistently striven tO' produce an animal of racy appearance, fine bones and grace- ful carriage. The breeders have not made any great amount of money in their little enterprises, because they have pur- sued the silly fetich of beauty, rather than the sound ambition of usefulness. Most of the English fanciers are slaving at arduous tasks to make a living and spending their real genius in producing- an animal that is good for nothing else but show purposes, whereas, if they had been actuated by the right idea, they could have built up an industry that would have given them riches without heavy labor. The laughable part of it is that, while the English breeders are bending their energies in the direction of the "fancy," they are eating heavy ■rabbits that are produced in Flanders and shipper across the channel to the meat shops of London. Thus, while the Eng- lish breeders have been decorating their parlor walls with blue ribbons, the Flemish breeders across the channel have been massing bank accounts. Off-hand, one would harbor the impression that the Flemish breeders of Belgium, Holland and adjacent parts, had- taken the results of the labors of the English breeders and turnedThem into cash, but such is not the case. The breed- COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 17 ers of the Netherlands gave to England the original types out of which were produced the Rufus Red Belgian Hare, and while the English were muddling away with shapely animals, the continental breeders had continued their work and pro- duced a better meat animal. When I write of the ''Flemish" breeders, I do not mean the breeders of the Flemish Giants, but the breeders of all types of commercial rabbits in Fland- ers. There is an old book published a g'ood many years ago by a prominent poultry journal publishing company and still sold in considerable volume that contains about all that was known about commercial rabbits up to ten years ago in this country, but it is rather out of date now. Most of the books sold by different one-horse breeders are clumsy rehashes of this book, masquerading as original research. The book is called "The Belgian Hare Guide." It will be noticed that the Belgian Hare is described as that branch of the commercial rabbit family which was se- lected for fancy, and the Flemish Giant that which was selected for meat or utility. This is no longer true. The Flemish Giant itself has fallen under restrictive influence of the fanciers in late years, and weight has been sacrificed in the attempt to breed a pure steel gray strain. The foregoing material on histor^^ and origin has been quoted because of its first-hand information. It may be added that, as in the poultry industry, a good many breeders have experimented on their own account dur- ing recent years, and have produced various types of Com- mercial Rabbits, which they have given distinctive names. Thus, we see offered now and again the "Belgian" — a cross between Flemish and Belgian ; the Belgian Giant, which is nothing but a heavy type of Utility Belgian. The New Zealand Red Rabbit is said to be a cross be- tween the Russian White Giant and the Rufus Red Belgian Hare, but persistent line breeding is necessary to breed out the white bars or stripes which occurred in the original specimens. 18 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING CHAPTER III THE ABORTIVE BOOM '——^"^^ When the Commercial Rabbit Business is mentioned nowadays in the presence of older people, they often pooh- pooh the idea of the Belgian Hare or other rabbits becoming a real industry. Of course, their scorn is at once swept away by the fact. The Belgian Hare, Flemish Giant and New Zealand Red Rabbit is now used for food in immense volume all over the country, and nearly all breeders eat their surplus bucks. However, the reason for the old folks' skepticism is that, about twenty years ago, just after the introduction of the Belgian Hare into this country, a great boom occurred, during which a good many breeders made big fortunes. This boom gradually subsided, although thousands of enthusiastic breed- ers kept right on producing fancy animals and selling them at fancy prices. But the main reason for the failure of the old boom, in my mind, was that advertising w^as not an exact science in those days, and so the independent breeders had no means of keeping the public interest alive. Today, there are columns and columns of classified ads in the newspapers and magazines devoted to the interesting selling plans of producers and assemblers of Commercial Rab- bits, and the public, upon answering these ads, is bombarded with a drum fire of attractive printed matter, presenting the subject to them in all its fascinating w^ays. Needless to say. a good many present-day breeders and assemblers are amass- ing big fortunes by selling Commercial Rabbits b}^ mail, while thousands of others are earning comfortable incomes or adding materially to their regular incomes. In order to illustrate the progress made in building up a permanent Commercial Rabbit Industry, perhaps no better method could be shown than that of reproducing the adver- tisements which appear in newspapers and periodicals. A selection of such advertising is here reproduced: BELGIAN HARES— Flemish. Reds. Clieckered Giants. Corre- spondence solicited. Prices attractive. FOR SALE — My entire stock of Belgians, Flemish Giants and New Zealand Pedigreed stock. Write for prices. RABBITRY FOR SALE— New Zealand, Giants, Belgians, "eared $1,400 last year; 10 acres, house, barn, windmill, etc. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 19 20 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING RABBITS FOR SALE— Belgian Hares, Flemish Giants, Angoras, New Zealands, etc. Price right, stock right. LOOK — We have some good Flemish Giants in black, white and steel gray. Also New Zealand Reds. All stock pedigreed. For reasonable prices write. PEDIGREED BELGIAN HARES— Also ear tags, punches, stock and breeding record cards, pedigree cards for variety rabbits, crate cards, etc. Price list free. Full set of samples 10 cents. CHECKERED GIANTS CHECKERED GIANT RABBITRY— Breeders of thorough- bred and pedigreed Check-ered Giants. Snow white, jet black, steel gray Flemish Giants. FLEMISH GIANTS FLEMISH GIANTS — Winner of first prizes in the largest show in the state. Five to thirteen pounds. Two to ten dollars each. Also New Zealand Reds. , FOR SALE — A limited number of Commercial Giant rabbits, bred from the largest stock obtainable. Prices reasonable. State in first letter just what is wanted. FLEMISH GIANTS EXCLUSIVELY-^High class pedigreed stock from imported and domestic strains. Prices reasonable; in- quires promptly answered. FOR SALE — Flemish Giants, light gray, steel blacks. Bucks and does. Pedigreed. See mj- winnings at St. Louis, November, 1917; Chicago, December. FOR SALE — A Yew choice Steel Gray Flemish Giants. From pedigreed and registered stock. Heavy variety. Weigh from 15 to 17 pounds. Stamp for reply. HEAVY WEIGHT FLEMISH GIANTS and Checkered Giants; registered and pedigreed stock; youngsters and breeders at reasonable prices; perfect health. Stamp for reply. FLEMISH GIANT and Rufus Red Belgian Hares— Pedigreed prize winning stock that have size, weight and color. Satisfaction. HARES WANTED! Belgian Hares, Flemish Giants, New Zealands We want to buy all the Hares and Rabbits you can produce, four months of age and up. We want only first-class pedigreed stock, free from disease with smooth coats. For several years we have bought from the largest breeders at Colorado Springs arid Denver, and as our business increases we must continually have more. If your Hares prove satisfactory, we will contract to handle all you can produce. -Remember, we are not on our way to the biggest rabbit business in this country, but have arrived. Give full description of your stock in first letter, correct age, weight and lowest price. Come on, let's' boom the Hare business. Get busy and raise some. Address. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 21 AMERICA'S BEST STRAINS English and Dutch At the seven largest Eastern shows this season, I won 75 firsts, four. times best Rabbit in show. Judge Gibson says in his report of the Syracuse, N. Y., show: "The best lot of Dutch I ever judged in one show in my life. Some of them almost perfect." In such competition, with six entries, I won five firsts and one second. Any of my stock for sale. SPLENDID BREEDING STOCK FOR SALE Can make immediate delivery of Registered Belgians and Flem- ish. All registered in the N. P. S. Association. Stock of unusual quality, all ages. The foregoing ads were clipped from a recent issue of "Outdoor Enterprises," the leading commercial rabbit maga- zine of America, which is published at Kansas City, Mo., and they are fairly representative of the activity going one in the rabbit industry at present. Frankly, there is no intention of giving free advertising space to the advertisers shown, there- fore, the addresses are not given. The ads which follow were clipped from a recent issue of the American Poultry Advocate, and will serve to illus- trate the interesit in Commercial Rabbits which has been awakened amongst the unfortunate breeders of poultry, who have Deen operating mostly at a loss since the high prices of grain have prevailed : HARES— RABBITS— PET STOCK Belgian Hares TEN FINEST Belgian bucks, eight months. Conover pedigreed stock, $3.50 each. Ten six months, $2.50 each. PEDIGREED Belgian Hares, ear tags, dogs, poultry; illustrated catalogue and hare book, five stamps. RUFUS RED BELGIAN HARES— Breeders, $3.75 pair. Does or bucks, $2 each. Young stock. 4 to 6 months old, $1.25 each. RAISE BELGIAN HARES FOR ME— I furnish magnificent young thoroughbred Rufus Red stock at $3.00 each and buy all you raise at 30 to 60 cents per lb., live weight. Send ten cents for com- plete Breeder's Instruction Booklet. 22 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING LISTEN! RABBIT BREEDERS! OUR handsome new supply catalog is just off the press; it prices and describes over 50 rabbit necessities that are essential to rabbit success. All you do is to write and ask for it and enclose a 1-cent stamp. LOTS OF BELGIAN HARES— Bucks, Ten Flemish bucks, ready for service. Checkered' Giants, German Greys, Lopears and Angoras. Exchanges made; no reply without stamp. RAISE BELGIAN HARES— New Zealand Reds, Flemish Giants. Wonderfully intereting magazine, tells where to sell for $2-00 to $15.00 each. Also covers all other outdoor industries, 10 cents a copy (50 cents a year.) Similar ads appear in Sunday newspapers throughout the country, and in the big rural magazines and weekly news- papers, as well as in prominent standard magazines, such as Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, the Country Gentleman, and in the magazines devoted to outdoor sports such as Na- tional Sportsman, Field and Stream, etc. They are an index to the far-reaching effects of advertising — advertising which has rendered the commercial rabbit industry permanent through the dissemination of information. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING CHAPTER IV THT COMMERCIAL RABBIT FOR MEAT As a meat producer, the Commercial Rabbit has no equal. The meat is described as venison, and is white, fine-grained, palatable and far more nutritious than any other meat. It may be cooked in a variety of different ways, and so offers a decided relief to the housewife who despairs of ever finding- something new under the sun to set before her men folks. A clergyman, himself a breeder of Belgian Hares, con- tributes a very interesting article to a widely read publica- tion. An excerpt from his article follows : A word concerning the meat side of the industry. The East is just beginning to taste the delicious food. The man who has a con- tract to supply a certain Buffalo hotel once a week, finds it a hard task to get enough without paying exceedingly high prices for the hares. , • • i r i • Rabbit meat is simply delicious and when it is to be tound in the markets and people have had a taste, the demand will be so great that every farmer will have to turn to the industry to supply it and in supplying it he will make money/for the Belgian is raised to good eating size for 25 cents. What other meat can be produced ^° '^^'P'^- . REV. CHARLES E. RHODES. Of course, there is a right and a wrong way of cooking commercial rabbits. The venison is in itself very delicious, as anyone will bear witness who has picked a leg out of a cold pie on a hot summer day, but there are so many delightful dishes that can be quickly and simply prepared that it may be interesting to smack one's lips over the following mstruc- tions : PREPARING HARES FOR THE TABLE A hare at the weight of about four to five pounds is about the right thing for a splendid dinner. In killing, grasp the hare firmly by the hind legs, hanging his head downward, striking the animal a sharp, quick blow on the back of the head. The throat should be cut immediately and the hare thorough- ly bled. Hang up by the gamble joints, just as you would hang up a sheep or hog. An opening should be made in the abdomen between the hind legs, and two or three times the carcass should be filled with water. To remove the hide, cut around the hind legs, cut across near the tail from one jomt ' to the other and then turn the skin wrong side out, drawing toward the head carefullv until the rabbit is skinned. Thett 24 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 25 taking out the insides, saving the kidneys, cut off the feet at the first joint, wash carefully and then thoroughly dry with a cloth. The heart and liver may be saved, and the head, if you wish. Cut up the carcass and let stand in salt water for at least one hour. After it has been dressed, the hare may be kept two or three days. A few recipes for cooking the hare follow : TO FRY Old hares should never be fried, only the young. After cutting up, the pieces should be rolled in a mixture of pepper, salt and flour. Fry in hot lard. It takes about thirty-five to fifty minutes to cook thoroughly, according to the age and size. A GOOD ROAST Fill with dressing, made to suit the taste, well moistened with hot water. Sew up the carcass, sprinkle well with salt; put in your roasting pan some strips of pork laid over the carcass, or if you haven't the pork a few bits of butter. Bake in a medium oven from two and a half to four hours. PRESSED RABBIT Boil until well done. Take all meat from bones. Grind in meat grinder, season with salt and pepper to taste. Then pour over it the broth it was boiled in and press the same as chicken. HARE SPANISH One onion sliced, one chili pepper, three or four medium tomatoes. Put these into a stewpan with a small amount of water and let come to the boil. After cutting the hare in pieces, put into this as soon as it comes to a boil. Then add about a teaspoonful of salt and just enough hot water to cover. Just before it is done, thicken with flour and butter. AN ONION ROAST Take a small roasting pan, place a layer of onions in the bottom and, cutting the meat into pieces, put a layer of onions on this and alternate until you have filled your pan. In making an onion roast, a double roasting pan should be used. Do not use water, as the onions will furnish enough moisture to finish the roast. l(i COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING RABBIT CURRIE Cut into joints, putting in the stewpan a couple of table- spoonfuls of butter and a few slices of onion to taste. After it is well browned, add a good cupful of soup stock, then a tablespoonful flour and currie mixed smooth with a little water. Place this in the pan with pepper and salt to taste. If desired, a heaping teaspoonful of mushroom powder may be used. Let simmer gently for an hour or two ; add about a tablespoonful lemon juice with a little parsley. Serve with boiled rice. TO BROIL They should be boiled in salted water about five minutes, then dried and put on the broiler as soon as possible. Season to taste. RABBIT RECIPES Rabbit — the meat of the epicure. —Vesta S. Heath. ''Now good digestion wait on appetite And health on both !" — Shakespeare. The housewife who must pay 20 or 22^ cents in the open market for Flemish, Belgian, or New Zealand Rabbits will find fried rabbit a satisfactory dish. But the one who raises them in her own back yard will find a variety of ways of cooking and using this excellent meat a necessity, that rabbit may be served several times a week without over-doing. Though some might doubt that this could be over-done. Money talks and sO' does rabbit raising when the grocery bills are lessened by raising your own meat at home. POT ROAST RABBIT Cut the rabbit, roll in flour, brown in hot fat, cover with boiling water, add salt, pepper, one carrot and one onion. Cover the kettle tightly, so that all the flavor will be retained. Simmer until tender. If an old rabbit, it will take two or three hours. Drop in dumplings fifteen minutes before serv- ing. This recipe is suitable for the fireless cooker. A BREAKFAST DISH When preparing corn meal mush for frying, stir in one- half cup of chopped, cooked rabbit meat (well seasoned) just before turning mush into the pan to mould ; a square, shallow COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 27 pan is best. Let cool over night. Cut in half-inch slices, roll in flour, and fry. JELLIED RABBIT One rabbit, one slice of onion, one bay leaf, six pepper- corns, three stalks of celery, one envelope gelatine, one-half cup water. Cook rabbit in boiling water until tender, or until the meat slips from the bones. Remove from the kettle. Add vegetables and spices to the broth with salt to taste. Cook until reduced to one quart. Strain, add gelatine softened in one-half cup of water. Place rabbit meat in a square mold and pour broth over it. Set aside in a cold place. Garnish with celery leaves and stars cut from pimentos. Serve in thin slices. SOME 'TET" BELGIAN HARE RECIPES By F. C. Cross, Bocring, Colo. Roast Rabbit— Place the rabbit or hare, carefully dressed, but whole, into a kettle. Add a quart of water and a pinch of soda and stew until slightly tender, then take from the broth and stuff with well seasoned bread crumbs, which have been moistened with the broth. Wrap the carcass with twine and lay in a pan, spread with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake to a rich brown. Serve with a brown gravy made from the broth, season by adding a little browned onion or garlic. Roast Rabbit No. 2 — Have the rabbit dry, truss it, and stuff as follows: Beef suet, chopped fine; a few bread crumbs; a little thyme, marjorm, and savory; add a little lemon peel; pepper and salt, mixed together with an tgg; put this into the carcass and sew it up. Suspend it before a good fire, but dO' not put it too close at first ; baste it well with butter or veal drippings, and dredge it well with flour two or three times. When it is sufficiently roasted, place the rabbit in a hot dish; put a little water in a sauce pan, a lump of butter rolled in flour, and pour the gravy in, from the dripping pan; boil and pour over the rabbit and serve. Stewed Raboit — Wash the rabbits well ; cut them in pieces, and put them in to scald for a few minutes. Melt a piece of butter in which fry or brown the rabbits for a short time. When slightly browned, dust in some flour; then add 28 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING as much gravy or hot water as will make sufficient soup. Put in onions or garlic, catsup, pepper and salt, according to taste. Stew for an hour slowly. Fried Rabbit — Let the rabbit soak for several hours, or over night, in salt water. Roll in flour, salt and pepper, then fry until brown. If the w41d taste of game is objectionable, this may be removed by first parboiling in water in w^hich a little salt and a slice or two of onion has been added, then fry as above. Rabbit Fricasse — After dressing, let stand about two hours in water Avith two teaspoonfuls of salt and one of soda. Rinse well and skin off all the second thin skin. Then cook until well done, in as little water as possible, in which a little salt has been added. Remove the rabbit and roll in seasoned flour, then fry in hot lard until nicely browned. In the mean- time, add two cups of milk to a little of the broth, return the rabbit, let cook fifteen minutes, add a little thickening made of flour and water and bring to boiling point. Barbecued Rabbit — Take a nice, plump, young rabbit be- fore it is cut up, wipe dry and make eight or ten gashes across the backbone with a sharp knife. Now brush with olive oil and broil before a clear fire, turning often so as to cook evenly on all sides. Lay on a hot dish, season with salt and pepper and add plenty of butter, then set in the oven long enough for the butter to thoroughly soak in. Heat in a granite cup or small pan two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and one of ordi- nary mustard. Bring this to the boiling point, and quickly brush this over the rabbit. Garnish with parsley or water- cress and serve with current or other tart jelly. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 29 CHAPTER V HOW IT SOLVES THE MEAT PROBLEM The foregoing chapter on dressing and cooking, while relating to the Belgian Hare, is equally applicable to the other types of Commercial Rabbits. As meat, they all taste the same, and all yield the same percentage of nutrition. But the mere fact that the Commercial Rabbit is good for food does not signify anything important — the big question is — can it be produced cheaply? Farmers nowadays prefer to sell their corn at high prices, rather than feed it to perishable live stock and wait another year or so for returns that are only sure if the stock lives, and the price of meat does not fall lower than that of grain. As a matter of fact, it is cheaper to sell the grain, or rather more profitable. The cattle supply has been falling off for ten years, it is reported from many reliable sources, and it is said that twenty years will be required to catch up with the normal demand for meat at reasonable prices. This is plausible enough when you consider that a cow has only one calf a year, and that calf does not become of breeding age until two years later. Thus it takes three years before you begin to see any results worth speaking of in the cattle business. In sheep and hogs, the progress is swifter, but the returns are not striking in any sense. Poultry raising is being looked upon with distrust by ex- perienced breeders, since the high prices of grain have pre • vailed. It is said by many that, on a small plant, it costs about $2.00 per dozen to produce one's own eggs, and about $1.00 to raise a 50 cent chicken. Manifestly, conditions of this sort will not attract much capital or energy to these in- dustries. But let us consider the Commercial Rabbit. It is raised in a hutch only a few feet square. You build upward instead of outward — that is, a fairly big rabbitry can be erected on a few square feet of ground space by building it in tenement form. The Commercial Rabbit breeds all the year around, and there is very little guess-work about it. You can never tell how m.any eggs a hen will lay — or even whether she will lay any — and you can't tell whether the eggs will be fertile when 30 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING u m X in s W < o w H en COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 31 laid. On the other hand, it is possible to raise a definite num- ber of litters per year from each rabbit, and possible to figure on an average number of young in each litter. There is no other animal or fowl that multiplies so rapidly as the rabbit. Scrub rabbits and game rabbits" produce as many as eight litters a year, while carefully handled Com'mer- cial Rabbits produce about five, or at least four. In each litter, an average of seven may be conservatively expected, so that about thirty rabbits can be raised from one doe in a year. If killed for meat when they weigh five pounds apiece, one hundred and fifty pounds of meat have been produced from one doe in a year. But many breeders kill off only the bucks, keeping the does for breeding- purposes. The young does may be bred when tight months old — even earlier, so that the possible production from a single doe in one year is lost in a maze of figures. Suffice it to say, it is astoundingly big, and the world's meat supply can be increased indefinitely in a very short time, if vigorous advertising is employed to educate the people to the possibilities of the industry. As to feed cost, most breeders report it so negligible that they never figure it in their cost of production. Commer- cial Rabbits will thrive on table scraps, such as stale bread, the peelings of vegetables and fruits, waste cooked vegetables, ordinarily thrown away as g'arbage, used tea leaves mixed with bread crumbs, grass, lawn clippings, leaves, barks and scraps from the back yard garden. They eat any kind of hay or grain, any kind of meal, or any kind of cattle fodder. It is always best to order the stock before beginning to build the hutches, because the average breeder is always run- ning to capacity and will require at least a couple of weeks' time in which to fill the order. This time can be used in build ing hutches and making ready for the stock. 32 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING CHAPTER VI PERTINENT STATISTICS The bulletin on Belgian Hares and Commercial Rabbits issued by the Department of Agriculture of the United State? Government gives as the cost of feeding and care, six cents per pound. This figure has, no doubt, been arrived at by comparing the declared costs of different breeders, or from the actual records of that branch of the department devoted to Commercial Rabbit Culture. A good many successful breeders, however, declare that this cost is toO' high, and that rabbits can be raised more cheaply. The following figures, obtained from a big breeder in Missouri, are interesting: FEBRUARY, 1918 Average stock, 300 Rabbits per day FEED COST 3 bushels oats, 85c per bushel $2.55 50 pounds alfalfa meal, .022c per pound 1.10 1 bale prairie hay. . . 1.25 For the month i $4.90 It is probable that, added to this feed, was a great deal of stale bread and scrap vegetables which were probably ob- tained for nothing. A report from another breeder, giving the feed cost of sixty rabbits, is of interest because it shows the cost of feeding roots. FEED COST FOR SIXTY RABBITS Month of January, 1918 Sugar beets $1.00 Oats 85 Clover hay 88 $2.73 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 33 NUTRITIVE VALUE OF MEAT The food value of rabbit venison is recognized by nearly all doctors. A New York physician, writing to the California Cultivator, gives the following interesting table: Beef gives 55 per cent net nutriment Mutton gives 65 per cent net nutriment Pork gives 75 per cent net nutriment Chicken gives 50 per cent net nutriment Rabbit gives 83 per cent net nutriment This doctor recommends Belgian Hare venison for in- valids and old people — for consumptives and anaemic patients. n/', -■■./• 34 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING CHAPTER VII THE COMMERCIAL RABBIT BUSINESS The name ''Commercial Rabbits" was first used by a St. Louis breeder in 1917, to indicate all heavy breeds of rabbits raised in hutches. The name has been adopted by nearly all breeders now. Its importance was not at first fully realized until that unless domestic rabbits were universally declared to be commercial rabbits, thev would fall under restrictive laws passed by the different states to govern the sale and shipment of game rabbits. For instance, the average breeder of Belgian Hares would be shocked and outraged if he should be ar- rested for shipping rabbits out of Pennsylvania, and yet there would be danger of it unless the rabbits were declared to be commercial rabbits, and not game rabbits. The growth of the commercial rabbit business during the past twO' years has been so rapid that there are no avail- able statistics to indicate the volume of business that has been transacted. Most commercial rabbit businesses are conducted by mail. Advertisements are placed in various newspapers, mag- azines and class journals. These advertisements usually in- vite an inquiry, and the inquiry is followed up with printed matter which educates the prospect tO' a realization of the value of domestic rabbits for food and fancy and invites an order for selected breeding stock. The demand for all types of commercial rabbits is so large and so constant that no advertiser can hope to raise enough stock to meet that demand. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 35 CHAPTER VIII HOW TO BEGIN The best way to begin raising commercial rabbits is to order the stock at once. Having ordered it, the prospective breeder will have to hustle and prepare his hutches. Without this incentive, it is more than likely that the prospective breeder will keep putting off the purchase of his stock until finally his interest cools and the opportunity is buried in the grave of dead ambitions. The question of what type or breed of commercial rabbits to begin with is largely one of opinion. While more Belgian Hares are sold than any other type of commercial rabbit, this does not necessarily mean that the Belgian Hare is the most reliable breed — although the dyed-in-the-wool Belgian breeder honestly thinks so. It is well, therefore, to bear in mind the various qualities of commercial rabbits when deciding upon the type to raise. 1. The Belgian Hare is said to be one of the most prolific of domestic rabbits. The litters contain from five to eleven, or even thirteen, young. Of these, about eight can be raised if some skill is exercised in feeding the mother doe and the litter. The Belgian weighs from seven to nine pounds at ma- turity, increasing in weight at the rate of about one pound per month from weaning age. 2. The Flemish Giant Rabbit is also very prolific. It bears from five to nine young in each litter, but the weight of these rabbits is so much greater than that of the Belgian that they produce a great deal more stock, pound for pound, than any other tppe of commercial rabbit. 3. The New Zealand Red Rabbit is quite as prolific as the Belgian Hare. The chief argument made by the breeders of new Zealands is that it eats less and matures more quickly than any other type of commercial rabbit. The New Zea- land attains a weight of from nine to eleven pounds at ma- turity, usually beating the Belgian Hare by about two pounds. The next question is how many to start with. This de- pends upon the amount of money the prospective breeder can invest. Most breeders begin with a trio — or two does and one buck. 36 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING Many beginners hesitate over the question of whether to buy young- or mature stock. This, again, is largely a ques- tion of how much money is available for a start. If young stock is bought the beginner must have patience while wait- ing for the stock to reach breeding age. Young or baby stock, of course, costs much less than mature stock, but young ani- mals need more care than mature ones. The processes by which the beginner enters the field, therefore, are as follows : 1. Decide upon the kind of rabbits to buy. 2. Decide upon what age to select. 3. Order the stock. 4. Build the hutches. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING Zl W O Q Q W f^ Q < N W o o 38 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING CHAPTER IX HOUSES OR HUTCHES A cage for a rabbit is called a hutch. The simplest way to make a hutch is to cover half the open front of a big box with poultry wire and the other half with a door — and, Presto ! your hutch is made. But the main idea in hutch building is to make it easy to clean out, roomy, free from draughts and yet well venti- lated. Where boxes are used for hutches, it is wise to make a sort of ventilator near the ceiling of the hutch. An oblong hole covered with wire will do, but it should have a sort of awning, made of either wood or canvas, to keep the rain from driving in. Little details like that may not seem important to the mind of the beginner, but they are very important in- deed. It should be remembered that the rabbit has to live in the box, week in and week out, and that it must have fresh air to breathe, just the same as a human being. When building special hutches, it is a good idea to have the floor of each hutch slope gently to the front, so that the muck and moisture will drain away. To build hutches with sloping floors, it is only necessary to erect a series of shelves, one above the other, and to divide these shelves into hutches by means of either wooden or wire partitions, and to cover the front of each hutch with a door made of wire netting nailed over a framework of wood. To render the hutches weather-tight, a drop curtain of burlap may be nailed to the top of the hutch and let down over the front on stormy nights or during the winter. If boxes are used for hutches, they may be stacked one on top of the other, just the same as shelf hutches. Hutches may be kept either indoors or out. If built out- doors, it is a good idea to erect a shed over them, so as to keep the direct rays of the violent summer sun from striking the roof and sides of the hutch and making it like an oven. When building hutches indoors, one of the main things to provide for is sunshine. Raboits love to bask in the winter sun or in the early morning summer sun, and it does them a world of good. Remember that sunshine is the greatest germicide. If, therefore, the hutches are erected in a shed, it is a good idea to cut a large window in the south wall of the shed to admit light. This window may be covered with wire netting and, in winter, if desired, with a glazed sash. Sunshine, however, is not absolutely essential, and many COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 39 breeders are raising splendid stock in a dim corner of a big barn. Thus, if any prospective rabbit farmer has a building or part of a building available for raising stock, the mere fact that little or no sunshine reaches the spot should not for a moment deter him from engaging in the business. The main essentials in hutch building, then, are as fol- lows : Dry floors, protection from rain and draughts, sun- shine, if possible, and ventilation. A PRACTICAL RABBITRY The rabbitry herewith presented is 6x10 feet and 7>^ feet high at gable point, while under eaves the height is 63^ feet. It contains twelve hutches, in three separate stories, each hutch being 3x5x2 feet. Hutches are open on one end, cov- ered with one-inch poultry netting. Drop curtain for stormy days. Nest box in back part of each hutch. Double doors held in position by screen door coil springs. Partitions made of wood. North side same as south side; east side same as west side. /dooss \ j r?oo«s\ 3y.s 3X5 \ DOORS ays ■ i. C ' A 10 FT. 3^(5 DOORS r FIGI ^'^-^ Rabbitry Ground Plan Wherever possible, this rabbitry should be placed under trees, so as to give shade in summer. Have wire-covered ends face east and west, in order to give each row of hutches sun in winter time. First — Make frame in four parts, two parts as in Fig. 3 and two parts as in Fig. 4. TO MAKE Parts of frame as in Fig. 3 are made as follows : Tw^o outside uprights are 1x6x6^ ; middle upright, lxl2x 7}4. Cross-pieces are 1x6x10. Two outer upright pieces are nailed so as to protrude ^4 ii^ch (or exact thickness of board) on either end of cross-pieces. Gable piece is made by cutting board 1x12x5 diagonally into two equal parts, as in Fig. 5. 40 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING ^ , =,1 ZfT n 2FT 1 .2 FT 2. FT 2 FT a FT OPEN WIRE PAQT ; 17 FiCt 3 (inside viEwJ (_INSlDE ViEvv) OPEN/ WIRE Part riG.6 Parts of frame, as in Fig. 4, are made thus : Uprights are 1x6x6^ ; lower cross-piece, 1x6x5 feet 10^ inches ; three upper cross-pieces, 1x4x5 feet 10^ inches. Next set up parts of frame on cement blocks, nailing cor- ners as shown in Fig. 6. Now, being sure corners are placed at perfect rectangle, begin to lay floors. Use ceiling (fir is worked more easily than hard pine), putting grooved side downward. First, how- ever, put a 1x6x6 board through center of frame, running parallel with and exactly below gable, nailing it so as to stand on edge, even with top of lower cross-pieces of frame parts, this together with lower cross-pieces, to form foundation on which to nail lower floor. Now, using 10-foot ceiling, lay lower floor, nailing strips of ceiling lengthwise of building. Next, take a piece of one-inch poultry netting two feet wide and a few inches longer than six feet and nail it to the inside of fronts of lower hutches. Do the same on either open front end. Then put in partitions for lower set of four hutches. (See ground plan. Fig. 2). A handy way of making and putting in partitions is shown in Fig. 7. Next, put in nest boxes for lower set of four hutches. Each nest box is made of two boards 1x12x3, which are nailed to- gether in the form of a rectangle, a hole having been cut into one end for animals to pass through, and then hinged to back wall of each hutch. (See Figs. 8, 9 and 10, and also Fig. 2). Fig. 8 shows a nest box ready for use; Fig. 9, nest box hooked out of the way for cleaning or inspection. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 41 i^"-^ Now lay second floor, put on poultry netting", put in parti- tions and nest boxes ; third floor, etc., till all is done. On top of upper partitions another board 1x12x6 and another roof- piece made as in Fig. 5 are needed. Whereupon roof may be nailed and doors hung, which finishes rabbitry. Doors should be 22 inches wide, which is four inches wider than openings, which are 18 inches, so as to- lap over on outside. They may be made of 12-inch and 10- inch boards fastened together with cleats. A good plan is to fit double door to close over each other diagonally. See Fig. 11. riG.s :^ FIG 11 FIG lO Fig 9 Doors are held in position by screen door coil springs and may be hooked, only one hook being necessary for one double door. For the benefit of those who desire a smaller rabbitry, Figs. 12 and 13 show one-half as large, with single row of 42 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING S^^ Tl fc m X " I X . J— m ^-^ jS^Sywy -r- ^^ X3 9 "^ ^\"' Li V. '^°^"^^PM. S FT. hutches, made practically the same as one with double rows. Where this single kind is used, open wire front should face south. FIGr. 14- The big breeder will do well to use double kind, placing a number of them in a series under one roof and leaving aisles between them, ends of roof projecting to give attendant shelter in bad weather. See Fig. 14. Also where single rows of hutches (Fig. 12) are used, they may be placed in series under one roof, ends of roof projecting as in Fig. 14. Aisles in this cut are 2^ feet wide. Ends of roof also extend 2^^ feet. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 43 CHAPTTR X. FEEDING Rabbits eat anything a sheep or a horse will eat — and a great deal more. Any kind of grain is good, and any kind' of hay. If this g-eneral statement puzzles the reader, the fol- lowing table of feeding will shed more light on the subject' MOKNING— EVENING— Oats Alfalfa Stale bread Alfalfa meal Rolled barley, Carrots Field corn (on the cob) Bark of trees Grass Dry bran Bran and oats mash Rutabago Beets Clover Used tea leaves and meal Vegetable scraps This does not mean that the breeder must give all the dit ferent feeds indicated above. He may use any of them. It is a good idea, however, to vary the feed a bit. Most breeders feed twice a day — morning and evening Some breeders, however, feed only once a day. As to the quantity required for each rabbit, this is something that can- not be definitely set down. The thing to remember is that the rabbits should clean up everything given them. If any feed is left over from a previous meal when the next feeding time comes, it is best to cut down the rabbit's allowance by exactly what was left. The question of whether rabbits should be fed green stuf * exclusively is one that has been answered both ways by many breeders. The majority of successful breeders, however, re- gard oats or barley as a necessary part of the rabbit's rations. It is not safe to feed baby rabbits green stuff — it should be fed only very sparingly, and it should never be given wet, as it has a tendency to cause diarrhea in young stock. 44 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 0) > O O 1 1 -3 to OJ 5 0_c be rt r1 The rabbit business is not a "get-rich-quick" proposition, :mt a good legitimate lousiness which if carried on right will bving good returns. During the Belgian Hare boom many COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 59 men made small fortunes from selling pedigreed animals. But that was a boom such as we hope will never occur again, for the Belgian is but now recovering from it. In the breeding branch one must aim to produce the very best quality, vigor and health being- the most important fac- tors. In exhibition stock there is the standard to breed to, and the nearer a rabbit can be bred to its standard the more valuable it is. Some of our college professors have said that on account of the disease prevailing among rabbits they can not be raised profitably. Twenty years ago these same professors probably said the same thing about chickens, for at that time few peo- ple knew how to raise chickens right. They had to learn Today very few people know the right way to raise rabbits. They are learning. I do not think it is possible for one to raise any other animal in such large numbers with less mor- tality. Cleanliness, sanitation and system are the factors of success. Rabbits cannot be raised with the disregard of sanitation often shown to a hog, and it is useless to try it; they are naturally very dainty and cleanly and if confined to a filthy hutch will respond accordingly. Rabbits cannot be raised on the ground unless the runs are changed every three or four weeks. The Coccida germ, which is the domestic rabbits' greatest enemv, breeds very rapidly in the ground, which becomes poisoned by the con- tinual urinating of the rabbit. As to the cost of raising rabbits for market, will say that it depends altogether on how you feed, how much ot the feed you raise and where you are located. We can raise market stock for 11 cents dressed (this is feed cost), and they will sell for 35 cents dressed. As an example of feed cost in the East, will quote from Mr. C. I. Hunt's letter of the 14th as to what it costs him in New York : "In a recent test to de- termine the exact cost of raising rabbits for meat purposes we took twenty-two and' placed them in a run by themselves, keeping a strict account of all feed used. The result is shown herein. The twenty-two weighed 118 pounds when sold and brought $20.31. Expenses : feed, $7.08 ; express and commis- sion, $4.43; total cost, $11.51; leaving a net profit of $8.80, or 40 cents each. Had they been sold at home they would 60 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING have brought a net profit of $13.23, or 60 cents each. The feed cost to produce live weight was 6 cents a pound." The fur end of this industry is growing better in this coun- try. This year the National Breeders and Fanciers Associa- tion will work hard on the fur proposition, with the view of getting one of the large fur companies to make a specialty of rabbit furs, the members of this association, which, by the way, is over 4,000, to send all their furs to this one house. In France raising rabbits for their furs is a very impor- tant industry (or was before the war), these furs being sold under various names, such as Ermine, Chinchilla, Sable and Otter. Whether you intend to raise rabbits for home consump- tion or market breeding, start with good healthv stock. 'Be very careful in buying, for a bad start is no doubt discour- aging. In concluding this article I wish to say to those con- templating life on a little land, to go in with the object of making a specialty of some one thing. There are so many things of which one can make a specialty, such as ducks, geese, turkeys, chickens, goats, rabbits, pig-eons, pet stock, bees, certain kinds of vegetables or flower berries, etc., then in connection with your specialty raise everything that you con- sume yourself. A tradesman was talking to me the other day about tak- ing up life on a little land, but stated that he was somewhat dubious on account of seeing some of his fellow workmen re- turn to their trades after trying the little land for some time. "Why is it?" he asked. "Is it because they can't sell what they produce?" "No," I replied, "but from what I can see it is because they do not make a specialty of any one thing for income, but dabble in a little of everything." COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING HEREDITY By C. I. Hunt The 480 descendants of a certain drunken man and a feeble-minded woman included only 46 normal persons. Of the rest 311 were distinctly immoral, criminal, feeble-minded, epileptic or alcoholic, and the others defective in some way. The 496 descendants of the same man, reformed, and a normal woman included absolutely no criminals, only two insane per- sons and only two drunkards. Nearly all the descendants of this couple were sound in mind and body, many of them prom- inent citizens. It is unnecessary to point out the lesson in these facts. The above is taken from one of our agricultural papers. It shows as plainly as words and figures can to breeders of live stock the necessity of getting the right stock for the foundation. What is true in the human family is also true in the animal kingdom. A few dollars extra put into the foun- dation stock will return many fold in future generations. 62 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING USEFUL RABBIT NOTES Do not feed peach tree branches. Never disturb your Doe when kindhng. Keep away. Does should not be handled or shipped after they are two weeks pregnant. Several Does may be kept together in one compartment until they are bred. If your Buck is a good one, do not allow him to serve more than three Does a week. In humans, ''cleanliness is next to Godliness." In rab- bits, it is next to success. Those who start the business first in a locality, are the ones that will make the most money. Does suckle their young very early in the morning and late at night ; very seldom at any other time. Always handle your stock gently and you will have pets. They appreciate gentleness and kindness. It is not advisable to use Bucks for breeding until they are eight months old, although many use them much younger. Always, in summer, provide a nice shady place for your youngsters. This will prevent lop ears and give good health. Dry feed should be given once a day even if green food is procurable. Never breed a Doe immediately after kindling, but wait until young are weaned. It is most profitable to sell young stock when they become of breeding age, instead of disposing of them earlier, as you can get better prices. If a Doe commences pulling her hair and building her nest two weks after being bred, it is a sure indication that she is not with young and that she desires to mate. Breed her and thus save two weeks time in obtaining a litter. In breeding always take the Doe to the Buck's hutch, as there will be less liability of their fighting if not in season. Leave them together only a few minutes ; then if necessary try them again some other day. or until they are bred. COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING 63 Give nursing- Does bread, milk and rolled oats if possible. This makes excellent feed for her for nourishing her young. Kid gloves from rabbit skins are in demand, as they are said to be softer, more pliable and wear better than those made frorn other skins. Rabbits are very dainty about their eating; they will eat nothing but the cleanest of food. They should be fed espe- cially for firmness and sweetness of flesh. In 1912 over 80,000,000 rabbits were sold in the muni- cipal markets of France, the model country ; the model coun- try of the world in point of thrift. Many of the best physicians recommend rabbit meat for aged and run-down people, on account of its great nutritive value and the fact that it is so easily digested. Robert F. Buetel, of Dennison, Iowa, says that one of his New Zealand does is raising eleven young, and another one ten. He says he is assisting nature by feeding the babies' bread and milk and rolled oats. Rabbits do not require as much space as chickens, so another point is added in their favor, and the cost of raising has been proven much lower, a number of times, say rabbit owners. It is predicted by the best fanciers that this occupation which is now in its infancy will be the largest of any known industry, in point of numbers engaged in it, and that within a very few years. In the United States we have family after family, mil- lions of them, in fact, complaining of hard times and yet buy- ing high-priced meat, and nine chances out of ten, their back yard is grown high with nutritious weeds which could be turned into delicious rabbit fries with a little initial cost and trouble. 64 COMMERCIAL RABBIT FARMING A FAT PURSE AND A CONTENTED MIND Deep down in the spring of your being, there is a quality which is called SYMPATHY. Because of it you marry, and you have children, and you go out, day by day, to fight the forces that aim to starve you and those who depend upon the strength of your right hand. And because of it you place your hand upon a dog's head, and in a whisper, half to yourself, say: ''GOOD FELLOW — MY DOG!" And the dog will say 'yes," with the tail of him, and his unsteady, cold nose will seek the palm of your hand — SYM- PATHY, old man— SYMPATHY. And — primarily, this is the reason why Commercial Rab- bit farmers raise beautiful Belgian Hares and great Flemish Giants and New Zealand Red rabbits — this is why they place eggs in an incubator or under the breast of a fat fowl and wait all eagerly for the mystery of BIRTH to COME TO PASS. We do not understand it, and that's why we love it — pet stock — bringing into the world which did not exist. We play with CREATION, watching the miracle with our own eyes, and touching the MIRACLE with our own hands. We mar- vel inwardly, but we do not understand — not yet — the reason. As the great wild places of Nature fall down before the gleaming Ax of Civilization and the haunts of the animals dis- appear, we shall be taxed to produce the MEAT for our Car- nivorous bodies that long centuries of instinct and appetite has made necessary to healthy existence. Wherefore, AN UNSEEN POWER that lies behind the spheres that swing through space — above and beyond the Milky Way, and below the hindmost star that is in the Firma- ment—an UNSEEN POWER that we cannot feel and that we cannot KNOW — that Unseen Power — seeing to our hungry future, puts the instruments of CREATION into our hands, and we ACT, but lo ! we marvel. Just so long as this UNSEEN POWER remains behind the necessity for breeding and rearing fur-bearing and meat producing animals for the inside and the outside of our bodies, so long shall we be guided by a blind SYMPATHY to make our animals create as we shall dictate, in respect of weight and quality of coat and color.