The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1900-04-06
The Began Hare


persons in this county, 50 far As We
know. who have paid any attention 10
the Belgian hare are E Scheppelman
and Andrew Pettegrew of Gardner
vile .r- Scheppelman has over fifty
hares- The culture of this particular
breed OF hare has taken wonderful
strides during the LAST few months,
and the chances are. that before the
year ends there viii bA many more in
tie county who vii have these choice
animals
Though the business has been looked
upon a. q fad and has until recently
been in the hands Of a few fznciers,
who have bent thsi- energies toward
perfection in breeding there seems little
doab. that the Belgian hare vii soon
become = staple article Of food
IS many Of our readers are perhaps
not familiar with this little red animal
il may be well % say something here
regarding the origin Of the Belgian
hare
The wild hare never burrows and
only breeds twice year, dropping her
young-rarely exceeding two-under
some shrub OF bush in the open field.
ready 10 feed, and their eyes open
within tEenty-foar hours from birth,
while the Belgian hare delights IN bur
rowing. viii breed six times q year If
permitted, with from six 70 fifteen
helpless young in brood; their eyes
do not open for nine or ten days. and
in every way showing their common
rabbit tendency
TIE Belgi&e' hare originated in the
early part Of the nineteenth century,
and was al thai time called s.Lepor-
tine They were taken up By Eng
hsh fanciers about 1850. and were soon
bred with two separate and distinct
objects IN view: IN the one instance
that which prompted their first pro-
dnction. and in the other for meat pro-
duetioz alone
In the year 1895 the fanciers Of
America took 70 the breeding Of Bel
gian hares in good earnest. and many
OF the choicest specimens Of England
that money could buy were imported
The thoroughbred Belgian hare
grows from a weight Of from TO u
pounds It's not ola solid color. and Is
therefore difficult 70 describe in this re-
spect- The foundation Of the color Is
Of reddish tan, OF ..Rnfls red, which
shows clezrest on the shoulders and
top of the neck This takes darker
hue over the sides and launches Each
hair, on portions of the animal. Is tip
ped with black, called ticking. This
gives mottled or wsvy appearance,
which Is highly prized and considered
= sign Of pure blood The launches
are OF grayish brown shade. In the
best specimens this produces a distinct
brownish cast, and IS also vel marked
with wavy ticking. The head is
graceful and 5 carried well up. The
forehead Is fat and the eyes are proni-
nent- They are usually Of a DARK
brown color, full Of intelligence and
animation. The ears should ie about
FIVE inches long. leaning slightly back
ward, close together, firmly carried.
A dropping ear IS an indication Of weak
ness or degeneration. An edging Of
black. called lzeing. extends over the
tips Of the ears and well down the
edges The more clearly this Is de-
fined the higher the score BY the
standard
As an article Of diet the hare has ad-
vantages as vet slightly understood in
this country. The flavor of the meat
IS delicious. far finer than that Of tire
best poultry ohtsinabie here All Of
the flesh is eatzble, so that there Is
absolutely no waste after the animal
has been properly dressed From a
dietetic point of view, the flesh Of the
hare Is invaluable. Il lacks the heavy,
oily substances found in ducks. chick
ems and turkeys. The flesh, therefore.
while very nourishing. produces no
Inflammation. and may be taken with
relish and profit by an invalid II has
none Of the strong, gamy favor found
in the wild rabbit and is therefore ac-
ceptable to the weakest stomach.
The Belgian hare viii dress a pound
for every month Of its age up 70 s or :
months He is good for food from
ABOUT the tenth week Of his existence.
The fifth month Is about the profitable
age TO kill, if intended for the market.
No domesticated animal can com
pare, says California exchange, in
the relative value of its products. as
compared with cost Of food and care.
with the hare.
From beginning Of FIVE does and a
buck it is safe to say that 800 hares can
be raised per year, and the original
stock still remain.
Hares will eat almost any kind of
grain, green food, vegetables, fruit, al
faifa or oFhar ksn1u IF h,- -.