334 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. xvi. 



that the whole amount may probably be about 

 Is. 4cf. ; and a well-fed rabbit will generally 

 weigh from 2 to 3 lbs. when trussed for the 

 table, for which the poulterer will charge at 

 least 2^., besides keeping the skin, which, if 

 in season — that is to say, in winter — is usu- 

 ally worth a few pence. This, to be sure, is 

 the perquisite of the cook ; but that must not 

 be considered as thrown away, for cooks love 

 perquisites of office so much as to pocket them 

 with even more zest than their wages : nor 

 ought the mistress to begrudge the gains of 

 that one in her service, as it will tend to 

 render the servant more careful of the 

 broods. 



Resjjecting their value, notwithstanding their 

 fruitfalness, we do not instance them as a 

 very profitable stock, unless when killed very 

 young, for we well recollect having, many 

 years ago, kept several for the amusement of 

 our boys, but whether through the misma- 

 nagement of the urchins, or the nature of the 

 animal, so many died that those brought to 

 table used to cost at least double what they 

 might have been bought for. They are, how- 

 ever, very convenient in a lone country-house ; 



