THE FLEMISH GIANT RABBIT 75 



of giving three meals a day, making good sweet hay one 

 of the standpoints ; ground corn mixed, with the leaf 

 of clover hay and a little pollard made into a crumbling 

 mash, and given with the chill off for the first meal ; 

 another about mid-day consisting of roots, or other 

 green stuff, the former in winter when the latter are not 

 easily procured ; and at night as many oats as they will 

 eat, not play with, also a few grey peas previously soaked 

 and strained, and a little green stuff with another handful 

 of hay. 



Some give bread and milk squeezed fairly dry to 

 youngsters, once a day before they are weaned and until 

 they are six or seven weeks old, and a few crushed oats, 

 also with satisfactory results. 



I am not an advocate for the rabbit and cattle foods, 

 and boiled linseed, which are largely used by some fanciers, 

 nor even for linseed cake, although I do not doubt they 

 are all fattening agents. Generally these foods are used 

 on those specimens reserved for the table, but for my 

 own eating I would infinitely prefer an animal fattened on 

 what we consider its natural food, than to partake of a 

 monster animal which had been forced upon what is really 

 artificial feeding, and I am tolerably certain the flesh of the 

 former would .taste better than the latter. 



At least, that is my experience with other kinds of 

 live stock, independent of rabbits altogether. The 

 following suggestions of the value of the several 

 points, in specimens for exhibition, may be a guide 

 to some of my readers desirous of taking up this 

 variety : 



