The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-05-29

to keep his does breeding the able
round when a few have escano5 year
will find food conditions 7osn 'uey
and the inclemency of orr 0&Sy
destructive to the late-born efs
so three itters almost can be col lug,
on when they do escape. W. D'ed
lieve it is perfectly natural that w.
should escape, and when tbau i
that the species will survive m W
it will become a question Of u'p
much more rapid their increase ~"
be over destructive agencies "l
whether they become an exno~s
nuisance.
There r many common weeds
our fields which were once cn7+ino.I
house plants. Most of these ara ~
tives of Europe. They have becons.
naturalized to our harm. The hon..
sparrow (Passerdomesticusl -
monty known as English sparrow
an ever-present, expensive, on3
troublesome example of bird imno.
tation. No hare can drive ont
tive hares to the hurtful extent tbo.
our native birds have been dri W.
away by this sparrow, howevor
They can only displace native sDecio,
and be more troublesome than tbo
native because of their having baon
in domesticatiOn and acquired tbo
habit Of living close to men.
These animals are looked uDon &c
a dangerous introduction. 1t does
not necessarily follow that becarso
the Belgian hare is not of the samo
species as the sO-called Australian
rabbit that it cannot become DANCER.
JUS to agricultural, horticultural
and forestry interests if it is turned
loose and thrives in freedom in
America. The assurances of fanciers
as to hardness and prOlifcacv are
assurances, less positive Of course
that they can maintain themselves
in freedom in our climate. If they
have not done so yet, in the North.
it would only be necessary for them
to be started in and Overrun the
South and to spread Northward
when better acclimated.
It was not only New South Wales
and Australia which suffered from
the rabbit pest (Lepus c~unicuIus).
DR.. @. Hart Merrion, Chief of Diyis.
ion of ORTHODOXY and Mammalogy,
reprinted in Report of the U. S. De-
partment of Agriculture, 1886, a re-
port of Consul-G General Morgan in
Consular Reports for December of
that year showing some effects of
the imported rabbits in Australn
and New Zealand. In one year Vie
toria appropriated 10000 pounds,
New South Wales "a, 900 pounds, and
South Australia 10000 pounds,
amounting to $751; 900 to suppress
rabbits.
In Victoria 90 900, 900 acres were
infested and 1000, 900 skins were ex-
ported in 1888. In 1881 over 500, 900
acres of sheep runs were abandoned
in New Zealand on account of rab-
bits and the estimated annual loss
from them in exports was set at S.
500, 900. 1t was estimated that more
than 1870, 900, 900 rabbits We're killed
there in three years.
We have native rabbits and harcS
enough for all common purposes.
The common American hare (Lcpus
Americanus) is eaten when captured
from the wild state. Suppose this
hare were as carefully cultivated as
it's European congener, would it not
become as dainty a dish for an cpl
cure? But this animal is very de-
structive to the agriculturist over
the whole territory IN when Jh6J
are found.
We will not enumerate cases OF
We will, however, sug
gest if anyone wishes to acquire
great riches from rabbit farming, he
snare a few native specimens and
learn to handle them as common
stock. Thew will cost less than the
imported animals, and we
would like to have a report on com
parative table merit of Americans
with Belgian hare after the former
has been Stalled for two OF three
generations. If he is a benefa2toI
to his race that makes two blades
of grass grow where only one gre"
EE4 10