RABBIT. 



fuch as fine green hay, i'ainfoin, clover, turnips, and others 

 of the fame fort, which niuft be dillributedover the warrens. 

 It is fuppofed that turnips anfwer the beft in deep fnows, as 

 the rabbits can difcover them by the fcent. This fort of 

 food is given in the quantity of two or three large cartfuls 

 to a thoufand couple per day, and one load of hay in the 

 fame time during a florm. It is l^kewife fometimes the prac- 

 tice to diflribute billets of new cut afli-boughs, gorfe or 

 whins, and other fimilar woods in the warrens, the bark and 

 other parts of wliich is eaten, by which the proportion of 

 hay is leflened in a conilderable degree. In great fnows, it 

 is neceffary to clear them away from the ditches or fences, 

 to prevent the rabbits from getting over them. 



It may be obferved, that tiie rabbit is a fort of ftock that 

 begins to breed at an early age, as at eight, ten, or twelve 

 months, going only about thirty days vf ith young, the young 

 being a little more than three weeks old before they appear 

 from the burrows, during which time they are fuckled twice 

 in the day by the mother. It is therefore evident, that they 

 may breed three or four times in the courfe of the year under 

 good keep, as the does take buck almofl immediately after 

 producing their young. In warrens that are inclofed, it is 

 however faid, that they feldom breed more than two or three 

 times in the year. The annual produce per acre, is moftly 

 cftimated at from three or four, to eight or ten couple, 

 yielding a profit of from eight, ten, or even fifteen (hillings, 

 wliere they are conduced under a good fyftem of manage- 

 ment. And the produce is, as has been feen, the largelt 

 on new lands ; however, much of the profit muft always 

 depend on fituation, fo as to be near good markets. 



Thefe animals are in what is termed feafon from the 

 end of Oftobcr to the beginning of January, in which 

 period the bed flcins are produced : of courfe a large pro- 

 portion of them is killed in this fliort time. The farmer 

 often fuftains great lofs in what by the purchafers are called 

 hiilf (Ifins, quarter fjcins, and racls, fixteen of which are 

 only confidered as a whole fein. The rabbits are difpofed 

 of by the hundred, fix leore couple being confidered as an 

 hundred. 



The following ftatements are given in the Agricultural 

 Sul^'ey of Lincolnfhire, on this fort of management. On 

 the authority of Mr. Chaplin, it is ftated that on looo 

 acres it is fair to kill 2000 couple, which are fold by the 

 hundred, as above; which have fold at 10/. on an average 

 often years ; laft year 13/. ; killing and looking after, 60/. 

 for 1000 acres. And on the warrens oetween Gayton and 

 Tathwell, filver flcins have been from 15 j. even to 21s. a 

 dozen ; but the common grey rabbit is fo much hardier, 

 that if a warren be ftocked with both, there will, in a few 

 years, be nothing but greys. It is added, that from Louth 

 to Caftor, 18 miles, 10 of them are warrens, chiefly filvers ; 

 rent 2s. to 3J. an acre. They plough a part every year 

 for corn and turnips ; and laying down again with feeds, let 

 down the fences for the rabbits to enter. Warrens are 

 reckoned profitable, fo that fome fortunes have been made 

 on them. It is further ftated, that in point of fldns, thofe 

 bred about May-day undergo no change from their white 

 colour, but from a white rack become a whole flcin ; bred 

 at Lady-day, become black ; in June, white ; in July, 

 black ; in November, white again : then in full feafon, as 

 the carcafes are alfo. The llcins ought to have thofe colours 

 on the infide, when flayed, or ftripped off from the rabbits. 

 The writer further itates, that from 250 acres of land, that 

 were fainfoin worn out, and planted with rabbits, the fol- 

 lowing was the account many years ago ; but all prices, 

 rent, &c. &c. are calculated at the prefent rates ; and it is 

 to be noted; that the ground being thus new to rabbit" 



was much more produ<£livc than old warren land is found 

 to be, as they breed much better on fuch new than on old 

 land. Ufed to kill about 20CO couple ; (lock left about 700 

 couple. Sod banks that coil, thirty-five years ago, is. zd. 

 a rood of feven yards, would now colt is. ; furze faggots 

 were is. a hundred, that is, ^s. for tlic furze, and zs. Kid- 

 ding, now doubled. Banks will lall about feven years, in 

 a middling way ; from three to twenty ; want facing once 

 in feven years, at hall the firft expence ; want capping in 

 three years witli the furze. I^aying on, or capping, 'i,d. a 

 rood now. It was then reckoned that 250 acres would 

 clear 100/., befides rent, which then was ij-. an acre. 

 Fencing annually half a mile 800 yards 133 roods at 1/., 

 6/. 13^.; for facing furze, a kidd will do a yard ; z\ miles 

 kidding, at a kidd a yard, 4400 yards and kidds, at ijj-. 

 now, for 120 or 27/. los., or per annum 9/. 7,5. \d. add 

 6/. 13 J-., it is 15/. \f)s. \d. per annum. A warrener 35/., 

 a cow, fuel, and iioufe : in all 40/. Extra labour, killing 

 1 8 J. a -week for fixteen weeks, 14/. Sj-. Alfo for a month 

 i%s. a-week, 3/. \zs.: in all 18A Befides nets and 

 thread, 1 2 at 60 yards each ; lall fix or feven years ; would 

 coft i/. 1 1 J. dd. Traps jj. a-year. The men who kill 

 will carry. Four horfes for fix weeks, i /. 4^-. a-week, 

 7/. 4 J-. Charcoal for drying Iliins, 5^. A perfon to order 

 Ikins, that is, clear from fat, and drying, five weeks ; a 

 ufeful woman will do it, i /. Winter food (after three 

 days fnow they mull be ferved) cannot be lefs than 10/. a 

 year on 250 acres. 



Rent now 



Tithe 



Rates 



Fencing 

 Warrener 

 Extra labour 



Recapitulation. 



Per Acre, 



£ s. d. 



060"] 



o 



o 



o I 3 



032 



o I 6 



6 o"! 



o > 



1 oj 



£ 



10 o 



Nets, traps, and charcoal 



Horfes 



Winter food 



002 

 o o 6f 

 000 



16 16 4 

 40 o o 

 19 o o 

 216 

 740 

 10 o o 



o 13 7q 



Poifon, powder, and (hot, and iundries ; fox- 

 (kins I s. each .... 



Produce. 



2000 couple at 9</. 



Skins 9 ^. to I J. 3 (/. ; average i s. 



\ 20 



Expences 

 Profit 



184 II 10 



75 o o 

 200 o o 



275 o o 

 184 II 10 



90 8 



But it is, notwithftanding this ftatement, fuggefted, that 

 if he had a warren of his own, he would plough it up for 

 corn, &c. ; thinking tillage now more profitable than rab- 

 bits. And the author adds, that at Partney fair, meeting 

 with Mr. Grant of Withgul, and difcourfing with him upon 

 warrens, he informed him that a common ftock in wnnter 

 was three couple per acre, and the produce five or fix 

 R r 2 couple 



