FOR EXHIBITION AND MARKET 



rabbits for fur in the world. With its rich under color 

 of blue intermixed with black and whiie hairs, and the 

 outer covering a rich even silvering, it presents a striking 

 appearance. 



When iai good condition, a matured specimen should 

 weigh eight pounds, and in shape should be neat and 

 compact, not racy or baggy. It is becoming very popu- 

 lar in America, and was shown at all of the largest shows 

 during the year of 1916. Before the great war started, 

 France was exporting annually to Japan 200,000 of 

 these skins, so you can have a fair idea of how valuable 

 the Argent de Champagne is, and that they are in great 

 demand at the present time. 



Great care must be used in keeping the hutches clean, 

 as the fur stains very easily, and they must be protected 

 also from the rays of the sun in order to have them 

 show the rich and bright silvering. 



In feeding, use the same methods and food as 

 described in the chapter on Belgians, with a trifle heavier 

 feeding. 



In breeding, great care should be used in selecting 

 bucks and does that have rich, even silvering, with the 

 proper markings of black and white hairs on a rich, clear 

 under coloring of blue. It is a very difficult matter to 

 separate the best colored youngsters at an early age, and 

 until a fancier has been breeding them for some time, 

 it would not be advisable to risk culling the poor speci- 

 mens until three months of age. The small, puny ones 

 may be destroyed in a few days after birth. 



They should never be bred unless both the buck and 

 doe have coats that are in perfect condition, for if either 

 one is in a moult, poor coated youngsters will be the rc- 



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