St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-08-07
A Delicious Meat.

| Just at present most Belgian hares are
sold for breeding purposes, but it is prom
lsed by those acquainted with the husi-
ness that the raising OF hares for food
will soon become a settled industry all
over the country. Their flesh is pro-
nounced superior to that of chicken and
the cost of production much less. The
breeding of hares is an industry of recent
development, but it is fast assuming
mammoth proportions.
There is great deal Of misconception
regarding the industry of raising hares.
The casual observer cries fad" and
sneers at the idea of raising hares as
legitimate business. To him the hare is
simply a pet-pretty and lovable-but
otherwise worthless. This is far from
being the case, however, as anyone can
testify who has investigated the matter
and who has studied the animnl with a
view to its possibilities. AS meat pro.
ducer it ranks incomparably higher than
chickens. Raised for the table and pelts
alone, there is opportunity for handsome
returns on the money invested.
The wonderful ftcundity of the hare is
such that a single doe will in a year have
progeny numbering over 344. and even
more. Left to herself and allowed to
breed at will, it is said doe will drop a
litter of from six to ten, or even more
each thirty days. No intelligent breeder,
however, would think for a moment of
allowing his does to breed so indiscrimi-
nately. Five to six filters a year is the
average.
Take a good doe four months old.
Breed her to a good buck and in four
weeks she will drop litter. Allow four
weeks for her to nurse the young and
breed her again. Take the conservative
estimate of eight young to a litter. 1t
is safe to figure that half of each litter
will be does. At four months OF age
these young ones will each be old enough
to breed, and their young, in turn, will
be old enough to have one litter apiece
before the end of the year. Better results
will be secured, however by allowing a
doe to reach six months before breeding.
The question is asked, "Why, if Belgian
mares are so unsurpassed as food, and if
they are so productive, are there not
more hares to be found on The market in
the shape of dressed meats?' The ans
wer is simply this: The business is vet in
its infancy, and the demand for breeders
is so great that breeding Tor market is
yet secondary thought. Even common
market specimens will today sell fer $4
or over as breeders, and under these cir
cumstances there is no inducement for
the raising OF hares for market. This
condition, however, will not last long,
and in time breeders will turn their at
tentlon more and more to raising stock
Tor table purposes and for their iur.
A few words about the origin of the
present noble and beautiful animal-the
Belgian hare-may be interesting. He
hnds his remote origin in the wild rabbit
OF Europe. The domestic hare of Eng
land, large, handsome creature, is de-
llcious, but not prolific. The wild rabbit
lacking in daintiness of flesh, makes ur
by its wonderful fecundity. Many years
ago the domestic hare and the wild rab
.. bit were, presumably in Belgium, crossed
with the view to combining the dainti
ness OF the one with the prolifcity of the
other. From this process of up breeding
continued for several generations, the
modern Belgian hare has resulted. Au
thoritles differ on this point, but the
above seems to be the most generally &C
, cepted theory.
1t is idle to predict the future of this in
dustry. Only one thing is certain, anc
that is, the business has come to stay
Des Moines Leader.