The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-19
CAVY CULTURE.
A New Household Pet Who Threat
ems to Dust the Family Cat,

L.
ems to Dust the Family Cat.
New York, Nov. lit is safe to say that
two years ago, the cavy, as a household
ret, was practically unknown in America.
although N England the little creature
had already arrived at the dignity of being
distinct fancy amongst lovers of pets.
Always devoted to animals Mrs. Edith
kingman Foyer of Woodstock, III. In 1897,
imported a few varieties of these little
novelties to put alongside some finely bred
rabbits and other small things which she
kept principally for pleasure and incl
dentally for profit"
Observing their entire winsomeness and
adaptibilty as household pets, Mrs Poy-
er conceived the idea of importing and
propa gating them on a large scale, and
forthwith set about building a hutch for
the purpose, with the result that to-day
she has the largest caviary and rabblry
in the world With two hundred and sew
enty breeding cages and room for 5000
head of pet stock, an average Of over a
thousand cavies and rabbitry in the word.
hundred Foaves of bread are ordered
at time from Chicago for their daily
meal of bread and milk; and carrots oats
and hay are bought by tons. Every week
registers large sales. ranging in price all
inc way rum @VU 10 peculiarly 1lgn DfeQ
rabbit or cavy TO the more common va
rieties at S. a pair. Recently MIS- Poyer
has added pet rats and mice 10 her stock
and has thereby laid Herself open TO the
soft impeachment of being the only woman
known TO history who, instead of running
and screaming or mounting chair at the
approach OF mistress mousie lures it on
ward, picks it up tenderly in her hand
and affecuonately caresses it, AT a recent
exhibition OF pet stock in Chicago, Mrs.
Poyer had the distinction of winning no
less than forty-six prizes for various thor
ou-hbreds.
One of the very interesting facts of Mrs
Poyer's experience in this new industry
is that hard headed business men are
among the most numerous buyers of fancy
pets; their argument being, that after an
arduouS day In the office, nothing Is more
soothing than TO go home at night to some
soft cuddling dumb thing that Graves their
attention and diverts their minds from
business. Mice are in frequent demand
where the space is limited as they are I'M
usually intelligent, bright and amusing and
require such a spect of home aud so
little care. Partly as an ouigrowlh of
Mrs. Hoyer's fancy stock, movement is
on foot to establish a Mouse Club. made tlp
Of members from all over the country in
terested in the breeding and raising Of
aristocratic mice.
NneFe Nne Caty originates.
The cavy is really an evolution from The
guinea pig though the latter nickname
possesses even, less fitness than beauty. II
Is a native Of South America, where It
was a great favorite with the natives who
called il couy, and from this comes the
anghcized "cavy." Several years ago IA
nous English fancier brought the first
specimens into England, and by clever
breeding has succeeded in producing come
very remarkable varieties. There are
four distinct, recognized spaceis of cavieg-
the English, Peruvian, Abyssinian and
Angora. The English or short haired va
riety is the more common, and Is indeed
the original stock from which the others
were derived
The long sllken haired Peruvians are
the especial pets of women and children
and quite deservedly so, as they are really
Of remarkable beauty. Their long, fine.
glossy hair falls in natural bang over
the forehead and nose, developing into a
thick name on each side of the head and
trailing upon the ground in the rear, max
ing them seem like so many animated silk
en- balls Of varying colors. They are found
in black, white French red tortoise shell
English solid black and English solid red;
the pure white with delicate pink eyes and
pink claws being perhaps the most attrac-
tive. Their hair Is generally from four
to six inches long. although Mr. Foyer
possesses one charming specimen with
locks over eight inches long, white az
snow and fine as spun silk.
The Angora Is quite different from the
Peruvian, having no bang or name, but
being very attractive In Its long coat or
straight hair that reaches 20 the ground
The Abyssinians, although hardly as
pretty as their long-haired sisters, are Gu
riously interesting with their rough wiry
hair growing In a series Of perfectly form
ed rosettes In white red and broken col
orS.
Charms of These New Pets.
AS pets for children, CAVES are really
without a rival They are always gen
tie. and when accustomed to their sur
roundings are very playful and affection
ate; Their frisky antics and ever-ready APP
petite especially endearlng them to the
little ones. When first born, they are
mere tiny balls Of fluffy down. which a
little child can hold in one hand; they
are. however, wonderfully mature from
the start opening their eyes at once upon
the big world, ana before they are an hour