The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-10-23
CANNING WESTERN JACK
RABBIT.

A rabbit cannery has been estab-
lished in Oregon. The promoters have
a large farm in connection with the
cannery. They propose to grow and
fattcn the Belgian hare and the CON-
mon jack rabbit of the plains. The
meat is steam cooked and packed in
tin cans weighing one pound. These
are retailed at 80 cents each. There
is a good demand for the product at
the restaurants and hotels and in the
fancy grocery stores. Many Of the
old-timers of the West watch the mar
kets daily for some of the wild game
of former years. In this they find a
good substitute.
1t is the purpose Of the rabbit grow
ers to breed the Bel gians and jack
rabbits in the same inclosure. Both
are to be fed on the same food and left
to grow wild. 1t is thought that by
keeping them thus enclosed the rabbits
will mix and form a distinct family of
hares, having all the elements of the
tame Belgians and the wild jack rab-
bits. The sage brush has not been re-
moved from the pasture. The place
is enclosed with wire netting to pre-
vent the escape of the rabbits.
The jack rabbit is one of the strange
animals of the plains. It's long ears
and swift, springing motion make it a
curiosity to the eastern tourist. Great
numbers of the rabbits live on the
deserts where there is no water and
apparently nothing but sage brush for
food. They make raids on the farms
and ranches during the winter and
early spring and destroy everything
in sight. The grain is cut down and
the garden plants eaten. The young
fruit trees are peeled, and everything
green gnawed so that it will die.
Rabbit drives are frequent in the
isolated districts Of the West. On
such occasions several hunters congre-
gate and take special train for the
desert places. They walk through the
brush and drive the rabbits to given
point Thousands of the animals are
killed in one drive. The meat is con-
sidered fair, and is often found on the
city hotel and restaurant tables.
When several thousand are killed at
one time, they are given to the poor.
Certain sportsmen of Salt Lake City
make regular annual drives about
Thanksgiving and bring in the rabbits
by the thousands and distribute them
among the poor people.
On the borders Of the great Ameri-
can Desert in western Utah and east.
ern Nevada the irrigation farmers have
constructed willow fences to keep out
the jack rabbits. Several hundred OF
the long-eared animals may be seen in
the sage brush surrounding newly.
made farm. If there is no fence, they
go in and destroy everything that can
be eaten or girdled. During the win.
ter months the farmers go out and kill
hundreds of the rabbits with clubs
Often the animals are run into willow
enclosures and great numbers slaugh
tered.
The jack rabbits multiply very fast
In districts where the hunting is lin
tied, there are great bands of them in
small patches of sage brush. The
coyotes of the plains feast upon them
and foxes carry away few for food
0>"esiora'': disease make a raid on
the rabbits and kill thousands. 1t is
of loathsome ulcer type and seems
to attack great numbers at one time
At least when the disease is noticed
there may be thousands of dead car.
casses picked up on the plains. For
this reason the rabbits are not in great
demand on some of the western mar.
kets.-Joel Shoemaker, IN the Country
Gentleman.
Mary was domestic treasure, and
when she gave her mistress a month s
notice on the plea that she was going
to be married there was weeping and
wailing in the household.
"Oh, Mary, wouldn't you be willing
to oblige me by putting off your mar.
riage for week if l am not suited
when your notice expires?" asked her
distressed employer.
"Well, ma'am, I wouldn't mind
waiting myself" was the reply, "but
men is different. If you don't nail
'em when they're ready for it you
can't nail 'em at ALL"