UNKNOWN

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3560, 15 August 1905, Page 4

UNKNOWN

Breeding; of Thl* Animal «u i<b try Beet tin. It la Now Claimed, Tea Years Atfo. In answer to a number of inquiries in reput’d to the Belgian hare, we find, noon investigation, that the brecum.g of this animal in this oountry as an industry began about ten years ago. The breeders are naturally f fie and possib’y are too 0p... . .heir view of the future of this constantly enlarging business. It is claimed by them thmt no oilier line of breeding offers anything like the profits that the breeding of the Ben-- ’ ■ does. Both the meat an. ire valuable. The cost of i iie meat, it -is claimed, is no. ,e cents a pound at the most, aid he have been informed by breeder;: in the vicinity ol Denver,. Col.. *' meat in that market sc! 55 cents .a pound. The . t young Belgian hare is highly < tolled by those whip are acquainted with its quality, and all such, unit!- 1 ~g that, us a toothsome article of diet it cannot bo mcelled by any meat (.hal. comes to our, fablcM. The hare la exc-ecdlugly prolific, the doc h.. .i p.mmemg 32. to 'SO young hares in the course of the year, and does begin to bree ti at the age of six months.

The food is that which is ctommonly eaten by sheep, and should be a variety which cun rea lily be provided from on Is. clover, r< ots, breiad and milk, etc. All the shelter that is needed is an open shed that* will always be dry and must be clean. Cleanliness in the hutch mußt be maintained. Three by four or five feet is large enough for a hutch. The nesting box, which must be p rovided for each breeding doe, should be three feet h 1 t"-o feet ; e ’ Mi and heir 1 ' 'd th ’d be c '■ t p the 1 i’ si r is fro ‘lessen. » ut two ir 1 the young ■■.•■-aned and the sexes separated. The weight of a Ilelgian, if pure bred, at maturity is from eight to ten pounds.— Epitomist.