Evening star., 1949-11-09
This and That
By Charles E. TraceweIl

Lear SI.
Let me know sometime what can feed
wild rabbit that comes to our yard almost
daily.
He is a perfectly fine specimen, with
the prettiest cotton tail, and is one Of
the greatest leapers I have ever seen in
action
IT he cannot go go miles an hour from
standstill. well. then am q Chinamau and
OF course I am not, as was born right here
In the old D. c. and have read your paper
for IS years, boy and man.
This rabbit intrigues me. He likes to
nibble at my plants. and do not grow angry
in the least, as some Of your readers have
done, shame on them.
I recall reading some years ago how one
OF them wanted to know how to keep rab-
bits out and you suggested hanging a line
around the garden with white strips of
cloth attached.
Me. like rabbits, and am glad this one
has come. and would like to cater to his
wants, If any.
Let me know, and we will both thank you.
Sincerely. M. D. g."
Wild rabbits are hard to please.
Mostly they ask nothing better than to be
let alone.
They are like the old fashioned American,
now unhappily 4 vanishing species. who re-
sented interference, just as long rs he was
minding his own business and letting other
people mind theirs.
The wild rabbit wants to be let alone to
rustic up his own food.
II he becomes III. nature is his physician,
and either pulls him through or not, as the
case may be.
The outcome OF rabbit illness may depend
more on the naturalness OF the food than
anything else.
In other words. the rabbit that manages
to rustic up the correct food - for rabbit
- and to escape its many natural enemies,
Is the healthiest rabbit, and probably much
better of than the one which has been
feasted on some human beings idea of what
rabbit should eat.
The wild bunny, In any case. will decide.
Some folks suggest that alfalfa pellets be
put out for rabbits In the cold and snow
We have tried this, with complete failure.
There was foot Of snow on the ground,
the alfalfa smelled good and looked good,
but do you think that silly rabbit would eat
it?
He wouldn't even smell it.
Some folks say that no rabbit will eat
anything touched by human hands Others
call this idea sheer nonsense, and point
hood.
Probably most of the ones they fed were
not as wild as the really wild ones that come
to our gardens.
Nature has taught our suburban rabbits
that anything smelling Of mankind is bad.
After two World Wars. some human beings
will be willing to agree with them. Un-
fortunately. these sensitive humans cannot
escape their species
The rabbits can, in most cases. and that
is why they tend to shun food we put out
for them.
We have tried nice carrots. and lettuce,
and got no rabbit takers.
Maybe they just weren't hungry. So per-
haps they had already filled up on the soft
bark of rose canes They are excellent
rabbit fodder, and no rose lover should be-
grudge few Of his choice specimens to the
truly beautiful wild rabbits.
II our correspondent wishes, he might
try some Of the feeds suggested, especially on
cold snowy days But without these Offer
ings, the creatures probably will survive.
Hardship is not new with them. They have
not pampered themselves with steam heat
and closed windows but take their air really
fresh and nature has hlesged them for IL