IHIS MAKKIT. 



All things considered, however, there can be little donbt 

 that the ancient maxim, that water given to rabbits will kill 

 them, or at least afflict them with pot-belly as long as they 

 hve, is a delusion. Let them drink, but moderately. If how- 

 ever, despite this precaution, your doe continues to eat her 

 children, get rid of her. Should a doe more than once or 

 twice be guilty of the unaccountable carelessness of " over 

 lying" and smothering her children, you had best get rid ol 

 her. 



While the doe is suckling, take care that she is not only 

 plentifully but also regularly fed ; a postponement of her supper 

 for two hours may check her milk, and cause the sucklings to 

 suffer very materially. Six weeks is the longest period the 

 little ones should be allowed the teat ; after that they must be 

 weaned. Turn them out of their mother's apartment, and 

 provide them a warm and snug hutch to themselves. Feed 

 them for a few days on two-thirds com and hay and one-third 

 sliced carrot or mangel-wurzel : this they will devour very 

 readily. Beware of giving the weanlings wet greenstuff; a 

 little of this sort of food is all very well, but that little should 

 be perfectly dry. This is of the utmost importance ; and there 

 is little doubt that thousands of suckUngs come to an tintimely 

 end through scorning from this cause. It wiU be as well to 

 make a rule never to allow your rabbits to have green meat 

 that has not been previously dried, either in the sunshine or 

 before the fire. That is, of coarse, dried till all su/rfaee moi-<!Tnre 

 has evaporated ; if you bake the leaves tiU they are brown, joo 

 any as well give your rabbits a few wood shavings. 



HUUIATA RABBITS. 



