158 RABBITS. 



SECTION XV. 



Rabbits. 



RABBITS are animals proper to be allowed in a wild 

 state, in those countries only, where are extensive 

 wastes, and where corn and other farming produc- 

 tions are not at a high price : in populous and highly 

 cultivated regions, they are a great and wasteful 

 nuisance, and proofs are before the public, only a 

 few years old, of nearly the whole produce of a farm 

 being devoured by them, to the ruin of the tenant. 

 This farm was situated in the vicinity of extensive 

 preserves ; but it is equally unfortunate for a farmer 

 to be fixed near to, or within some miles of a rabbit- 

 warren, since they will travel to a great distance, 

 to feed either upon corn or vegetables, and if the 

 soil and corn be to their liking, will always remain 

 in sufficient numbers to stock a new district. At 

 the same time, they are a good and profitable stock, 

 domesticated; infinitely more prolific, under good 

 management, than in their wild and exposed state, 

 and their dung is extremely valuable upon a farm. 



The old writers perhaps, rather overvalued the 

 profits of this stock. Rabbit-keeping is practised 

 by a few individuals in almost every town, and by a 

 few in almost every part of the country ; but thirty 



