WILD RABBIT FARMING 191 



' the return on less carefully managed or neglected 

 warrens, where an average of from 15 to 20 rabbits 

 per acre is by no means common. The expense of the 

 Wortley warren is not stated as clearly as could be 

 wished. But the returns from an " experimental acre," 

 specially fenced-in and stocked with a view to ascer- 

 taining the number of rabbits which the standard acre 

 would support, are given as follow 



Manure, lime, hay, labour, and interest on 



fencing at 5 per cent. ... ... ... i 10 o 



Rent, rates, and taxes ... ... ... i 14 o 



Total cost ^3 4 o 



Off this acre no rabbits were netted, whose market- 

 value was is. \d. per couple, giving a gross profit of 

 6 4,9. 4.d., and a net profit of 3 4$. 4^. per acre. 

 It will be noticed that the number taken from this 

 experimental acre was nearly three times that produced 

 by the same quantity of ground in the large warren. 

 On the other hand, the expenses of fencing and labour 

 for the larger area would be far less in proportion than 

 on the smaller ; and the writer gives it as his opinion 

 that, were he allowed to keep a larger breeding-stock 

 at the end of the season his return over the whole 77 

 acres of the warren would not fall far below that of his 

 experimental enclosure. Two facts in connection with 

 wild-rabbit culture in England appear from the data 

 which we have referred to. The creature is far less 

 prolific in England than in the " new countries," where 

 it now swarms in such uncontrollable numbers ; and it 



