ii6 PRACTICAL RABBIT KEEPING 



Of course it is necessary to have first class 

 foundation stock if one is going to show with 

 success, but it is just as necessary to understand 

 the principles of breeding, and the idiosyn- 

 crasies of the different breeds. Many points 

 can be learned from books and from discus- 

 sions, but others must be learned by personal 

 experience. To begin with, one must be fa- 

 miliar with the standard and have an ideal in 

 mind. Then when he has produced what 

 seems to him to be a rabbit worth showing, he 

 must put it into proper condition for exhibi- 

 tion. In many cases preparation has much to 

 do with winning prizes, especially now that 

 competition has become sharp. It is most es- 

 sential to keep the animals in the best of 

 health, giving them plenty of exercise and 

 feeding them the best of rations, although not 

 in excess. Most breeds should have a sleek, 

 smooth coat to please the judges, and all short 

 coated varieties should be carefully groomed. 

 Mr. C. J. Davies, one of the most noted of the 

 British rabbit breeders, has given the follow- 

 ing instructions for preparing rabbits for the 

 show room: 



"The best thing to put a finishing gloss on 



