THE RtBBIT. 



bnshel, wSl oTvly be a shilling and a penny ; and as the garden- 

 Btntt will be merely refuse, the only additional expense will be 

 a trifle for hay : so that the whole amount may probably be 

 about one shilling and fourpence ; and a well-fed rabbit wfll 

 generally weigh from two to three pounds when trussed for the 

 table, for which the poulterer will charge at least two shillings, 

 besides keeping the skin, which, if in season — that is to say, in 

 winter — is usually worth a few pence." 



Turning from the author of " British Husbandry " td Mr. 

 Oobbett, we find that renowned authority thus expressing him- 

 self on the subject : — 



" Abwndant food is the main thing ; and what is there that 

 ik rabbit will not eat ? I know of nothing green that they will 

 not eat ; and if hard pushed, they will eat bark, and eren wood. 

 A variety of food is a great thing ; and, surely, the fields and 

 gardens and hedges fnrnish this variety — all sorts of gi-asses, 

 strawberry-leaves, and ivy. They should have oats once a day. 

 When the doe has young ones, feed her most abundantly with 

 all sorts of greens and herbage, and with carrots, and the other 

 things mentioned before, besides giving her a few oats once a 

 day. This is the way to have fine healthy young ones, whiehj 

 if they come from the mother in good case, will very seldom die. 

 But do not think that, because she is a small animal, a little 

 feeding, or a little care, is sufficient. To those gentlemen who 

 keep rabbits for the use of their family (and a very useful and 

 convenient article they are), I would observe, that when they 

 find their rabbits die, they may depend on it that ninety -nine 

 times out of the hundred stam)ation is the malady. And par- 

 ticularly short feeding of the doe while and before she has 

 young ones ; that is to say, short feeding of her at all times ; 

 fori if she be poor, the young ones will be good for nothing. 

 She will JAoe, being poor, but she will not, and cannot, breed up 

 fine young ones." 



There can be no doubt that Oobbett is right when he says, 

 that variety of food is of the utmost importance as afiecting the 

 rabbit's bill of fare. There is scarcely a green thing that grows 

 that may not be given them at certain times and in modera- 

 tion. Let it be borne in mind, that if rabbits be supplied with 

 as much corn as they can eat, you need have no reluetance in. 

 giving them vegetables. The great harm is to give them green- 

 meat as victiials, instead of as medicine. When 1 say com, 

 I mean dry com : such as oats, peas, wheat, indian-com, or 

 buck-wheat — and not grains. To give a rabbit grains, as well as 



