BREEDING AND CARE OP RABBITS 



of maintaining rabbits is not recommended for every- 

 one, but it seems reasonable that most of those at all 

 interested should desire a fairly close understanding 

 of the results of their work. In fact, the most inter- 

 esting of the writer's experiences have relation to his 

 record book. When entertaining visitors to his rab- 

 bitry the record book is often evidence and has many 

 times provided the argument effecting the sale of stock. 

 Such questions as — " jJo you find rabbits profitable?" 

 "What does it cost to feed them?" "How many will 

 a doe raise?" "What is the lineage of that specimen?" 

 "How many do you sell in a year?" "Well, now, 

 what is your actual yearly profit per doe on an aver- 

 age?" etc., etc. Now, as one's rabbit enterprise be- 

 comes well known, others than disinterested folk will 

 put these questions and be influenced by one's replies. 

 There are three ways of answering them. The most 

 harmful answer is based on speculation. A better an- 

 swer is "I don't know." The best answer is a well- 

 kept book of records. When pedigrees are mentioned 

 the record book is the final argument, as dependence 

 upo'i memory is accepted with many reservations. It 

 is allowed that record keeping may become irksome at 

 times, nevertheless no other department of Rabbitcraft 

 pays higher returns. 



The records illustrated may be included in one book 

 unless the herd is a large one. A convenient size is 

 afiEorded by the ordinary school composition book, with 

 pages 8 inches in height and 6J^ inches in width. 

 These pages may be ruled to suit the record kept 

 thereon. A double page is best adapted for each rec- 

 ord. The hutch record should show lineage of doe 

 and litter record on the left-hand page and "remarks" 

 on the right, with one double page to each hutch. 

 The Expense and Income Account may show Expense 

 on the left and Income on the right, using one or more 

 lines per month as required. The yearly balance sheet 



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