The record-union., 1899-07-25

market value of the product to that Tor
home consumption, we view the most
interesting and far reaching phase OF
hare breeding. Persons in the most
humble circumstances are enabled to
most cheaply5 supply themselves with
the choicest delicacy in the land. as
the rearing of them requires but very
little ROOM.
The possibilities of this wonderfui
meat producer are not generally under
stood, Take one doe for one year, 1or
instance, and she will produce five lit
ters of young during that time, rang
ing from six to fifteen to the litter
few does kindle less than nine, and the
largest litters sometimes reach fifteen
but taking the low average OF eight
that would make forty from the one
doe in the year. Now, supposing hall
of each litter are does, which Is gen.
orally the case, your first litter OF four
does will produce young twice before
the end of the year, making sixty-four;
added to those produced by the old doe,
we have 1O4 but that is not all, the
second litter of four does produced oy
your original doe will be old enough to
produce one litter before the year
closes, making thirty-two more to be
added to the 104, making a grand total
of 1876 from one doe in year.
There is no one hardly but has room
enough for pair of hares. A box two
or three feet square nailed up in the
coalhouse or stable, out of the way
of cats or dogs, will be accommodations
to start with. They are much easier
cared for than chickens, and have the
advantage of affording you with nice
tender delicacy for the table every
month in the year. The Belgian hare
has the further advantage over chick
ems of not being subject to lice or yer
min of any kind. There are great
many different opinions as to the orl-
gin of the Belgian hare, but it is con-
ceded by nearly all authorities that to
few keen students Of nature in BEL
gium are we indebted for the present
type of the Belgian hare. Much I'M
proved later by the English fanciers,
until finally standard of excellence
was adopted, which has been accepted
by breeders as the latest and best, all
the world over. There are many peo-
pie, even breeders, who still think that
the Belgian can be found in its Wld
state III some countries of Europe 1t
was to produce a domestic animal that
would resemble in it's general appear
ance the real wild historic hare, with
all it's graceful outlines, beautiful col
ors and size, that those scientific breed
ers set to work in their experiments,
and the result may be looked upon
with wonder. They did not begin in
a haphazard manner but weighed we'll
the points of the different types OF
rabbit which they thought most likely
to produce the desired animal. They
selected one for it's shape, another for
it's color, the next for size and weight,
and so on until finally the production
of a close counterpart of the wild hare
in all it's fine outlines has been pro-
duced; and they also found that 1t
would breed generally to its standard,
and here it may be said ends similar
ity, for their characteristics and habits
are entirely different The wild hare
never burrows and only breeds
twice year, dropping her young ones
rarely exceeding two under some
shrub or bush in the open field, ready
to feed and their eyes open within
twenty-four hours from birth, while
the Belgian delights in burrowing, will
breed six times a year, if permitted,
with from nine to fifteen helpless young
in a brood, their eyes not open for nine
or ten days, and in every way showing
their common rabbit tendency.