CHAPTER II. 



BREEDING HOW TO PROCEED. 



In this chapter we propose to give general instruc- 

 tions, leaving the question of mating the different breeds 

 to be dealt with in the chapters devoted to a description 

 of the points of each. There are two ways of breeding 

 rabbits, indeed all live stock. There is the systematic 

 and there is the aimless. This remark applies with 

 equal force even though the breeder does not mix the 

 varieties but adheres rigidly to separate breeds. Of 

 course the man who breeds ordinary cross-bred stock 

 takes no note of system. All are the same to him ; and 

 he usually goes in for prettiness of colours and size of 

 specimens. Sometimes his only aim is to keep a rabbit 

 on purpose to " fatten for Christmas.'* In that case a 

 cross between the Belgian Hare and Flemish Giant will 

 suit his every purpose. He will get a large rabbit, and 

 by the introduction of the Belgian cross get rid of a 

 great deal of the offal which Flemish carry. But if ne 

 wants a pretty pet and a table rabbit combined, he 

 cannot do better than select the English variety. And 

 he will have this double speculative chance therefrom 

 he may possibly, even in his aimless mode of procedure, 

 breed a show specimen. This is not to advise aimless 

 breeding, but to try and find for him a variety that com- 

 bines pleasure and profit with the additional off-chance 

 of honour attaching. Mismarked Dutch, Himalayans, 

 and Polish are very pretty as pets. Some like the 

 beautiful long-coated Angora as a pet, but if you are 

 going to breed these fleecy-coated rabbits you will have 

 to brush their coats daily, never failing. Are you pre- 

 pared for the labour, patience, and constant application ? 

 If not, do not keep them as pets, for neglect will trans- 

 form them into miserable objects in a very short time. 

 For the breeder for exhibition purposes there is no safer 

 path than that of system. What do we mean by 



