Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-24
THE BELGIAN HARES.
First Annual Exhibit of Maine
Belgian Hare Club.
City Hall Full Of Handsome Little
Fellows and Exhibitors.
An Exhibit Well Worth Visiting. awards Will
Be Announced, Today.

yesterday was the first day Of the
first annual exhibition of the Belgian
Hare club of the State at City hall. A
large number of animals We're shown
ana some Of them from some of the
Dest strains in the country. There were
DUCKS, does. young and mothers and
young. The hares We're shown in neat
exhibition cages, and it was very in
terestinS for the casual observer to go
through the exhibit and evidently il
was very much more interesting for
the man who knew something about
the Belgian hares and knew how to ap-
preciate the excellence of the speci-
mems in the exhibit.
There were exhibitors from all
over the state. as follows: H. F..
Adams. Augusta DIR. G. Howard Mer-
rltt, Auburn; II. A. Mather q Co.,
Rockiand; T.. T. Hanson. Belfast; Mrs.
H. "A. Pierce. Waterville: w. T.. Lewis,
Cherryfield: Rose Brothers. Water
Vile; r.. L. Coombe. Cherryfield; c. A.
sylvester. Pittsfield; Foss e Tarbox
Pennington: and Maston Sweetsr.
Portland. The Standard Belgian Hare
Co. had a large and very choice ex-
>,
not entered for competition. There was
about 100 hares in the various exhibits
The value was said to range from s25
Tor some OF the ordinary exhibition and
breeding does to several hundred dol
lars FOR some OF the best bucks. one
man said that he had refused $500 for
buck that was shown there. of
course such prices seem remarkable
for so small an animal, but when we
consider the remarkable rate at which
they breed it can be readily seen that
first class breeding stock is a very
essential thing for man who is going
into the business.
Hon. T.. +. Hanson. the president
and general manager of the Eastern
Importing and breeding Co, very kind
ly explained something of the industry
to the journal man. He showed the
utter fallacy of the argument advanced
against the Belgian hare by people who
know nothing about them that they
are liable To run wild and oyerrun the
hare has been domesticated and bred in
confinement for many generations I'M
Ill it has completely lost the art of
soon starve in Il climate, much better
adapted to it's needs than Maine. if ii
We're to De allowed to run loose. Long
demonstration has also caused the hare
to lose its ability to run TO a great ex-
tent. 50 that it would be the prey of
everything that preyed on the smaller
animals
The men there with their stock. yes
terday, We're sound business men ap-
parcntly ana they professed 10 have
great faith in the future of the Bel
giln hare az n food product. They
claim that the quality of the meat is
equal TO the best turkey, and some Of
them claimed that the turkey was mot
in it," ana that there is a demand in
the larger cities, where the food value
of the animal is known. at about 20
cents per pound. which cannot be sup
piled at present.
They claim that the hare can he
raised at n cost not exceeding :, cents
per pound and that there is a great
profit in the industry. for the hares are
very prolific. and they did not advance
any arguments without showing fig
ures to back up their statements.
Some of the men there We're rather
bitter against some of the papers of
the State which have uttered attacks
against the Belgian hare which they
claim were not only unwarranted. but
were bounded on ignorance of the
matter in hand.
The exhibit is certainly very interest
ing and il is well worth ones time 10
drop in and look the hares over and
talk with some of the exhibitors. 1t
will be continued. today. The judges
were at work scoring the animals. yes
tcrday. and that will be finished and
the awards announced, today.