FATTENING SALE. 169 



nished from Rabbit feeding. Such articles are too 

 washy and diuretic, and can never be worth atten- 

 tion, whilst the more solid and nutritious produc- 

 tions of the field may be obtained in such plenty, 

 and will return so much greater profit. Rabbits 

 may, indeed, be kept, and even fattened upon roots, 

 good green meat, and hay ; but they will pay for 

 corn ; and this may be taken as a general rule : 

 Rabbits which have as much corn as they will eat, 

 can never take any harm from being indulged with 

 almost an equal portion of good substantial vegeta- 

 bles. However, the test of health is, that their 

 dung be not too moist. Many, or most, of the town 

 feeders never allow any greens at all ; the reason, 

 I suppose, because they feed almost entirely on 

 grains. The CORN proper for rabbits : oats, peas, 

 wheat ; pollard, and some give buck wheat. The 

 GREENS and ROOTS, the same as our cattle crops, 

 namely carrots, Jerusalem artichokes, and if pota- 

 toes, baked or steamed. Lucerne, cabbage-leaves, 

 clover, tares, furze. I have had them HOVEN, from 

 eating rape ; and not improbably, mangold might 

 have a similar effect. Clover and meadow hay, pea 

 and bean straw. 



Rabbits are generally sold from THE TEAT, but 

 there is also a demand for those of larger size, which 

 may be fattened upon corn and hay, with an allow- 

 ance of the best vegetables. The better the food, 

 the greater weight, better quality, and more profit, 

 which I apprehend to be generally the case in the 

 breeding of all animals. Some fatten with fresh 

 grains and pollard. I have tried all wheat, and all 



