JS<! ' V? 
VOL. XX V. No. 8, 
WHOLE No. 1*28.2. 
PRICE SIX CENT8, 
8*2.50 PEU V EAR. 
IBntnrcrt according to Act ol Conuress. in the year ltTl. by the Htiral f'ubllebtnR < 
'oni nMny, in ttio iflice o< the librarian of Congress at Washington.] 
Tin's is an almost certain cure of the disease 
known as red-water, and is an excellent cor¬ 
rective of other ills. Plaintain leaves and 
Shepherd-?pro ts are also a Rafe and good 
feed, if not used to excess. Potatoes rous ed 
dry are also esteemed a most wholesome 
feed. All kinds of meal, oat-meal, barley- 
meal and middlings, are used by English 
fanciers, and recommended. 
An English writer, quoted by Bement, in 
hia work published twenty years ago, says 
that the words “Dry Food" “should be 
primed in large letters and placed in a promi¬ 
nent position in every rubbitry." In the ob¬ 
servance of the teaching of these two words 
lies the key to success in this fancy. No 
matter whut the provender consists of, al¬ 
ways give a preponderance of dry food. 
Some writers have, recommended keeping 
a cup of water where the rabbits can have 
free access to it; but this I cannot endorse. 
In extremely hot summer days, I have given 
each animal a few spoonsful of water morn¬ 
ing and night j and my brooding does are 
given perhaps half a gill of wah*ror milk for 
two or three days before and after kindling. I 
I prefer to give milk when it can be had, os | 
it is nourishing as well as thirst-quenching. 
At other times [ never allow them to have 
water. A very little salt, once a week, mixed 
with the addition of a small piece of 
turnip or carrot about the size of a small 
hen’s egg. In summer, when clover or other 
green feed is obtainable, a small handful of 
that is given Instead of the roots. In feeding 
the above grains, I alternate them ; this gives 
the rabbits a better relish for their food. 
The night feed, which is given about six 
o’clock, is always oats, with a handful of ent 
hay (clover, if to be had), and when green 
food is scarce, a small p ece of carrot or turnip. 
If I can get fresh clover, t dispense with both 
hay and roots. In using green food never 
give it while wet. My custom is to cut it and 
lot it wilt before using ; cut it when dry, 
and keep one day’s supply ahead. Occasion¬ 
ally I give for the morning feed whole Indian 
corn ; in the winter, or in cold weather, 
coarse Indian meal stirred into scalding hot 
milk, and covered close for half an hour un¬ 
til it is steamed through ; this mess must, not 
bo soft or mushy, but cmm bly. PeaB, soaked 
a few hours, and then drained, makes an¬ 
other good change for the morning food ; 
once a month, or oftenei 
After having breathed on the feed and 
mussed it over, the rabbic, who is a dainty 
anim 1, will not eat it unless compelled to by 
hunger. A very little attention will soon 
teach the amateur how much each of his pets 
will consume, and he can regulate the feed so 
that none or scarcely any will be left. The 
feed cups should bo olten washed, for clean¬ 
liness is one of the indispensable adjuncts to 
success. The same cup or vessel should not 
be used for both wet and dry feed, unless 
thoroughly cleaned and dried after be ng 
used for the former. 
Does with young should bo more liberally 
fed, and with more nourishing diet than 
others. A s'iee of bread dipped in milk is a 
dainty treat for them, as well as being very 
nutritious. The amateur will find, however 
that rabbits, as well as himte f, have their 
likes and dislikes, and while one will greedily 
devour some kind of provender, another v% ill 
refuse to touch it. In such cases better 
humor the tastes of the animal, rather than 
ri«k loss or flash and sickness in trying to 
force upon it a distasteful dish. 
To sum up, my rules for feeding are.* 
1st. Dry Food Mainly. 2d. Frequent 
change of diet. 8d. Regularity in feeding. 
4bn, Cleanliness. 
BABBIT KEEPING 
Not only is the keeping of pets of various 
kinds by young persons of both sexes worthy 
of encouragement, but It may often be ma le 
a source of considerable profit, and when 
rabbits are bred with care and to obtain 
prizes at shows where t here is likely to be 
close competition, it may very well absorb 
the attention of those of riper years. 
As a pastime for gentlemen, the breeding 
oflop-earcd rabbits has much to recommend 
if. True, it lacks the excitement of breeding 
ga ne cocks for the pit, but It none the less 
requires the most careful study of points 
and good judgment in mating, in order to 
produce that approximation to perfection 
which will cai ry off the prizes in a close 
contest. Besides, all the associations with 
“puss” are rellued, and ladies as well as 
gentlemen may interest themselves in this 
class of stock. 
There is usually a ready market at good 
prices for lop eared rabbits and for other 
“fancy” kinds. Common rabbit?, too, will 
always sell for more than it costs to raise 
them, even though they be killed and mar¬ 
keted for food. 
We present a striking picture of a pair of 
Prize Lop-eared Rabbits. This variety is 
valued practically for its great size and for 
the beauty and softness of its fur, and as a 
matter of “ fancy ’’—that is, aside from any 
useful qualities—for the length of its ears 
the tips being stretched as far apart as pos¬ 
sible without hurting the 
rabbit, and thus measured r--— 
from tip to tip; for the 
breadth of Us ears ; for the 
fullness of its dewlap ; for 
its color and general sym¬ 
metry. Considering both 
a little linseed oil¬ 
cake may lie given with the Indian meal, but 
it should be quite sparingly used. Vegetables 
1 use very little of, and only after being 
somewhat wilted. Lettuce is too cold and 
wet. Cabbage is somewhat better ; in their 
season beet and carrot tops and pea haulrn 
help along the bill of fare ; but all these 
greens are onlv given as relishes, and that 
with a sparing hand. The too free use of 
very green or wet vegetable food will bo 
certain to produce the most disastrou-i re¬ 
sults. Pot-belly, dropsy and other diseases 
are sure to follow. Dandelion tops are greed¬ 
ily devoured, and are a most excellent feed. 
“ FUR BEARING PETS.” 
Under the above designa 
the prize lists classify the 
rabbits, ferrets, minks, 
Guinea pigs, etc. The. 
ably increased even wi 
dogs to it, and these for 
properly como into the 
irn several of 
prizes offered for 
squirrels, white mice, 
ht be consider- 
dding cats and 
aught we see 
category. 
The Mink has of late been 
bred successfully in confine- 
mentor partial confinement, 
and his fur is said to well 
repay the expense of his 
rearing, though his diet is 
exclusively meat and fish. 
Like ferrets, they are useful 
in hunting rabbits and rats, 
and like them, too, they 
must be handled with cau¬ 
tion, even when very famil¬ 
iar and apparently kind and 
tame, for their bite is very 
severe. 
Squirrels in their diversity 
present objects of groat 
beauty as pets, and several 
varieties, the American fly- 
iug squirrel perhaps more 
than any, are capable of 
showing great attachment 
to their keepers, and may be 
allowed the entir i freedom 
of the house and grounds, as 
much so as dogs and cats. 
Their intelligence too ia con¬ 
siderable, and they are quick 
to learn the meaning of cer¬ 
tain whistles and words, 
know their names and do 
some cunning tricks. 
Guinea Pigs are helpless, 
useless llt’.le things, appeal¬ 
ing to the sympathies and 
affections of childhood, 
more on account of thsir ab¬ 
solute helplessness and de¬ 
pendence than for any other 
reason. They arc easily b ed 
and reared, and multiply 
rapidly. Skin colors are 
black, white and orange- 
brown, usually in spots. 
