French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1918-01-03
100000 Rabbit
Crop in County
Brer Rabbit Comes Into His Own as
the Hog and Cow Jump Over the
Moon With PrOhibitive Prices.

The old cotton tail is coming into
his own as precious meat. The hog
has jumped oyer the moon with the
old COW and this makes rabbit meat in
greater demand. The people are re-
sorting to the pop-eyed animal with
seemingly great relish and the local
markets are handling many of this
species of the ~fur-bearing tribe.
Fred Chapel incidentally remarked
to a Hustler man this week that he
lsOld as high as 200 rabbits in a day.
Mr.. Chaple was OF the opinion that the
rabbit would soon be extinct by reason
of the heavy demand upon his family
but he has changed his mind and says
that they are so thick in the woods
that they-make trails and are hard to
track individually by the hunter. The
rabbit crop in Henderson county is
worth half a million dollars" emphat-
ically announced Mr.. Chaple without
cracking a smile.
Rabbits are SELL ng at 20 cents each.
AS will be seen by the following bull
letin sent out by the national depart
ment Of agriculture, rabbit growing is
encouraged as a can for a greater
meat supply:
I The Governments Advice.
Let the children start a rabbitry in
the backyard if they are in earnest
about helping the meat supply. Rails
ing rabbits is an interesting and easy
work and the returns will be well
worthy Of fathers Or mothers coop
Grafton. Efforts will be quickly re-
warded, for these animals increase
rapidly and are ready for the table
when three or four months old. The
meat is very palatable and nutritious
and can be grown at small cost. In
fact, the ost of producing rabbits is
less than that OF any other meat, not
excepting poultry. Rabbits in bark
yard pens have proved so practicable
a way of furnishing a quick meat sup
ply, especially in European countries,
that the United States Department Of
Agriculture is urging their wider
breeding in the present emergency.
Plan for Breeders Now.
As February is the best time to
mate-March may be the best for
breeding young does-it will be well
now to arrange for breeding animals
and to prepare a place for them, with
the c%hildren's help, in the yard. Four
filters a year, at intervals Of twelve
weeks, and averaging six II seven
young to the litter, may be expected
if pairing begins in February.
The Belgian and Flemish giant rab-
bits are recommended for meat pro-
d~uction, as the ordinary tame rabbit
is smaller and develops more slowly.
Breeding stock Of Belgian hares may
be bought from breeders in nearly all
the States at from 81 to $3 each. They
may occasionally be had from pet
stock dealers. Fancy pedigreed stock
is not required for meat production.
Rabbits eat hay, grass, lawn cut
tings n green vegetat on of many
kinds. Well fed, the young will aver
age five or six pounds live weight
when three or four months old. Prac-
tical experience has demonstrated that
rabbit meat can be produced in unlim-
tied quantities at a cos of about six
cents q pound. By utilizing lawn cut
T. ngs and other vegetation that would
. otherwise be wasted, the cost will be
even lower.
Quarters i'm Barn or Shed.
Outdoor fenced runs, with hutches
for does when having young and sleep
ing hutches for other stock, make the
best quarters for rabbits in backwards.
The ~rabbitry may occupy part of or
all Of a barn or shed OF be built in q
sheltered space in the angle between
buildings or walls.
Feeding is necessary twice daily.
In W inter- one Of the meals should be
chiefly of green food such as roots or
cabbage, and the other mainly Of
grain. Roots, cabbage, celery and the
like should be washed free from the
soil, but should not be wet when fed.
If green food is given in the morning,
the evening meal should be whole oats
or other grain for mature animals. A
little hay should be given at each
meal.
If properly cared for, rabbits are
remarkably free from diseases. The
more common ailments result from in
san. tary surroundings, lack Of care in
feeding, and improper ventilation. The
demand for rabbit fur is such as to
make it pay to save the pelts Of those
killed for food The better class Of
skins sell by the dozen, bringing from
20 cents to 81, or something less than
10 cents apiece. Farmers Bulletin
496 of the United States Deuartment
of Agriculture, Raising BeIg an Hares
md Other Rabbits VIII aid the be-
g.nner.