386 CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF RABBITS 
People everywhere invested large sums of 
money in breeding stock, all expecting to get 
rich overnight. 
But it soon fell down. People discovered 
that the Belgian hare of those days was a very 
delicate animal and that it was subject to 
many diseases. It had been inbred so long 
in order to produce show animals that its 
vitality was nearly gone. Then, again, igno- 
rance as to the manner in which it should be 
cared for led many breeders to disaster. 
In the meantime those who naturally loved 
rabbits and kept a few for hobby sake, per- 
sisted in raising them. They managed to 
market a few for pets for children. 
Others breeds were from time to time dis- 
covered by fanciers. From Asia we got the 
Himalayan rabbit, a little fellow of pure white 
with black ears and nose. He was so small 
that he did not make a strong commercial 
appeal, but he was quite a rabbit for fancy pur- 
poses and for fur. 
From Holland came the Dutch family. 
