The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1901-06-07
BELGIAN HARES.

BELGIAN HARES.
The hare Is still in the stage of a
show animal 'and, therefore attracts
the fanc!er almost solely. This makes
1t a sport. The animal attracts those
with leisure-wealthy, as a rule
ready to try anything, who have the
room and disposition to care for them
which makes 1t a fad. They attract
host OF people. Busy, moderate In
fortune, often youthful in years, Civ.
ing pursuit for hours after more i'm.
portant business, which makes it an
avOcatiOn.
A census OF Belgian hare people
would undoubtedly show that those
belonging to the last numbered class
are by far the more numerous. They
number up in the hundreds now, as
against scores OF fanciers proper, and
are the steady customer OF the dealer
or fancier class. The quality OF the
animal Is its best repres entation, and
Is what all are looking for just now.
The enormous fecundity Of the ami
mails would seem to offer an unlimited
field OF choice, but after fifteen years
Of breeding they are by no means
common and first class speciments
possessing the qualities demanded by
the shrewd judges are exceedingly
rare.
1t is this great difficulty of
breeding to standards that not only
lends interest to the breeding Of hares
but sustains the price as well. At
tempts to make "a start breeding Bel.
gians on cheap scale, huying "suls"
have proved disastrous, for the more
practical side Of the pursuit-the
breeding for meat, fur etc.-have
hardly been touched Is yet. Nothing
but the best will serve at present, and
the best is relatively expensive, for
most OF the strains favored for the
show ring are but recent importations
from England. The history OF the
Belgian hare in England Is suggestive
at least for this country. Great
Britain buys s3,OOO,OOO worth a year
of Belgian hare meat from Belgium,
France and the Netherlands, but
raises practically no meat herself.
Such hares as are in England, and a
great many are kept, are for show and
have been SO bred there for fifty
years. grH
One would think that a hall cent tury
OF diligent care Of the animal, in the
light Of its fecundity, would have the
British Isles fairly overrun with Bel.
gians, and even il they we're not, that
a surplus should appear somewhat in
the form Of meat In country where
meat is dear. The Belgian hare is a
highly artificial type and demands
care In breeding and feeding, but it is
a care that Is fully paid for II one Is
lover OF nature or desires a side issue
that las the saving grace Of profit.
The time Is fast coming when some
domestic fur bearing animal must be
the main source OF supply, as the wild
fur.bearing ANIMALS are growing scarse
each year, and a few decades more Of
civilization must SO restrict their
range and consequently deplete their
numbers that the wild fur must be-
come out of date.
Here the Belgian hare will lind a
place for at least the cheap grades In
hats. The hair is invaluable and
there is unQuestionably fleld for en-.
terprse here cultivated. The by-pro-
ducts, such.as glue, the feet mounted
as powder pugs, ears for various toilet
purposes, to say nothing Of the meat,
provides q convenient means conserv-
ing the profits.
The meat Of the Belgian commands
Q ready sale wherever put on the mar.
ket, though but few localities can as
yet boast Of dispensing Belgian hare
meat, but with the ever ipcressiun
price Of beef, mutton and pork, 1t will
not Do Q great while until the Ameri'
can public viii be compelled to seek
cheaper meat and what can be eaaieI
or more cheaply produced than tht
Belgian hare. The average man ol
| family with . few feet Of spare room
In bis back yard can produce enough
first class meat To himself, and hii
neIghbors too, rare treat ofdelicioui
white, tender hare meat once or twic,
! week the year through, with the a.
, suranoe that what they are eating Il
! clean aud pure which isla great dea
more than can be said Of the mea
. purchase1 ~ present. which oftel
. times 10 diseased wheh killed, sn'
!. treated with chemicals and pteservs
] Ittlvss,spent into otherptataG a tJtot
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