The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-16

/ town is apparently as much worked up
over the question of how to secure, raise,
/ cook and eat hares, well how to pet
them, breed them and show them, as it
is over Convention Hall and the c0nven-
/ ton. In a recent Kansas Ciiy Sunday
I paper there were forty-eight distinct Bel
/ gian hare advertisements; and they ad-
vertised everything from hares for sale
I 10 instruction in how to score" Them Tor
show purposes.
The Belgian hare, as it has reached St
Louis and It is known in this country,
IS not. according to the best information.
Belgian hare, in so far as being i'm
ported from Belgium or the direct of
spring of Be.gium-raised hares is con-
eerned. Il is claimed that the fcrepdr-
ents OF these hares came from Belgium
long years ago but that they We're
brought 10 their present condition of per-
lection in England. Some six years aso a
number Of them were brought TO this
country and were taken TO Denver, where
the first known ''raboitry' in the Uni ed
States was established. AS Belgians. like
any other hares or rabbits. multiply very
/ rapidly. the proprietors of the rabb.try
I soon mad a large stock on hand. Denver
/ took to the fad nicely, but it required
some two years for it to spread Then
some rich Californians heard Of The sur
passing excellence of the Belgian hare's
hesh Tor food investigated, tested, and
TOOK the pest OF the animals to their
ranches around Los Angeles. That has
since grown to be the home of the Bel
gian hare industry in this country. There
are raooitrles all over that section; they
nave clubs and exclusive hare publications
and everything that goes with a fad
year or so ago the fad began 20 move
eastward. II came by slow stages, and
got 70 Kansas city after awhile. Then it
look another step, and is now in st. Louis.
II mas peen felt even farther East. but
the lnguihhs wave has not rolled across
lhe MISSISSIPPI river yet.
bSlslah mare IS Misunderstanding an
maj with long kaT Saroolike hind legs,
long thin ears, big, dark eyes, short
Wlsp OF IAN ana - dark brown fur coat.
IL seems 10 De as lntellgent as Il IS claim
ed 10 De ana capable Of being taught many
tricks. But that Is the sentimental side OF
me re glan mare. The practical side is
that rs heSh IS excellent food, and there
IN lies the excuse Ter rabbitries.
me World Fair rabbitry. of which
George h Stelnhauser Is manager Is one
OF the local establishments for The raising
of Pelgiau hares. The farm is in Caron-
delet, and the firm has a downtown of
nee which is a sort of clearing house for
Inc ether ra Sbitries. Anang the other r2b-
hltries in and around St Louis are the
st Louis rabbitry, of which ]. II. Ros-
killy is manager, out on Cass avenue; the
Country Club rabbitry. Manager Fergu-
SOC, near the Country Club; the Hickman
rabbitry. out on Taylor avenue; The East
st. Louis rabbitry. on the other side CT
the river; the Glendale rabbi,ry, near
Glendale; Mrs. Chenalults West end
rabDitry, out on Delmar avenue, and The
Old Orchard rabbitry, Manager Steneke
near Old Orchard.
80 far, there have been few hares sold
for food in st. Louis" said Mr.. Stein
hauser. THE difficulty has been to sup
ply The demand for pets and breeding
stock 1t is es .imated. however that
within thirty days there will be some 1900
more youngsters ready for the market
and then perhaps Belgian hares will he
gin 10 be a feature of high-class menus
Ii is not very cheap food. The hares
sch for about % cents a pound when sold
for food, and a good big hare will weigh
perhaps six and one-half or seven pounds
In Kansas City the hare has his regular
place on nearly every good bill of bare
The big packing companies have begun to
handle him in wholesale quantities just
as they handle beef and pork. There is
more money in handling hares for pets, for
breeding and for shop purposes, than for
food, as long there is nor an oversup-
ply of them. A moderately good hare W i'll
sell for from SIS to S25. according to his
scoring that IS, according to the points
he possesses that entitle him to be class
ed as more or less perfect animal FIX
ira fine bucks bring extra fine prices
There was one-the famous Lord Britain
which was valued ~ $500, and the own
ers would not have sold him for even that
price. But he was poisoned. There is
one al Kansas City now that is valued
at $l-C0 and there are several in this
country that are worth from $l000 to 81 200
We have some that are worth as nish as
$500 and will. later on. have some that are
worth stu more. From that they run on
down the line of values. We have a good
enc mere that is valued at $15. Does do
not bring such fancy prices, but real
good one is worth neat little sum.
Belgian hAresSoreed about six times a
year They are not hard to raise, if you
give them plenty of the right kind of food
plenty OF fresh air, clean quarters, and
protect them from severee climatic
changes. They can be weaned when two
months old, and at about three and 4
haH or -FOUR months they generally reach
their maturity. Some, however, continue
to grow until they are six months old.
An average Htter consists of from six 20
tourteeen youngsters. All but about eight
are taken from their mother and put
with a nursing doe. When a litter is
about two months old i can be separated
into common and extra stock. 1t is
impossible 20 tell the good from the had