The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1892-04-01
RABBIT SKINS FOR MARKET.
Lang cared Peits Imported from Aus
traiia and New Zealand.

Lang Eared Peits Imported from Aus
traiia and New Zealand.
Here is IL set of sables fit for a prin
cess" said the dealer; Fifteen dollars
seems cheap for them. does 1t not2
That is because they are really made
of rabbit skins from Australia. The
fact is that there is hardly any fur in
the market at present that is not imi-
tated closely by the skillful preparation
of these same long cared pelts. New
Zealand also exports them TO the mum
Der of 10. 900, 600 yearly. Their pro
duction is one of the most important
and profitable industries of that colony.
Most OF them are shipped to Euro
pean cities, where they 60 through the
necessary processes OF manufacture be
fore being disposed OF to the retail mer-
chants. The art of coloring rabbit hair
has attained such a high degree of per
lection that it can be made to counter
felt seal, otter, ermine or almost any
other sort of fashionable fur. The
skins are largely made into felt hats,
which, are very beautiful and soft to
the touch. When the fur is long it is
sometimes cut in two and the finer or
inner portions are mixed with wool.
Various machines have been invented
for constructing hats of rabbit pelts,
some of which distribute the hair with
marvellous rapidity and n on re
volviny metal
The rabbits are skinned immediately
upon being killed. the heads. feet and
all the fat being removed. If the
weather is fine the pelts are dried in tn.
open air. but in bad weather they are
hung up under sheds. When thoroughly
dried they are turned outside in to pro
tect the fur from injury, and then they
are tied in bundles Of dozen to twenty
each and packed in bales. each of Which
contains from s. 1000 to $500 skins. A
little carbolic acid powder is used in
the packing to preserve them from at
tack by insects. In this crude state
they are worth from fifty to eighty cents
a dozen, according to quality
The history of the rabbits introduce
ton into Australia and New Zealand
affords an illustration Of the damage
man may do by interfering with the
distribution of animals Which nature
has chosen to make in the world.
When Captain Cook, the celebrated
navigator, first visited those countries
he found a fauna entirely different
from that Of any other part of the
world. In Australia gigantic marsu
pals, like the kangaroo, were chiefly
conspicuous. while in New Zealand the
only land mammals were two varieties
of the rat and n of the common bat.
Since then accumulation societies
have done their best to. introduce there
all sorts Of creatures Oh four legs and
two legs that could be brought from
elsewhere In many instances these eff
forts resulted most unfortunately.
Several years ago some dozen pairs of
IL gray rabbits were imported
for the purpose of supplying sportsmen
with an object for the chase. The oc
casion Of this interesting experiment
was made one of rejoicing, and the
beasts were let loose with speeches and
banquets to welcome them. They
multiplied SO fast that the people did
not have to wait long for all the sport
of that kind they could desire.
"ln fact. they soon overrun the
country in such numbers that it be
came a question whether they or the
colonists should occupy the land. Great
areas were entirely denuded of vege
tation by them, SO that the sheep died
by millions and the raising of crops be
came almost. ar impossibiIity Wash
ington Star.