RABBITS._Rural architecture

It may appear that we are extending our "Rural Architecture" to an undue

length, in noticing a subject so little attended to in this country as

Rabbit accommodations. But, as with other small matters which we have

noticed, this may create a new source of interest and attachment to

country life, we conclude to give it a place.

It is a matter of surprise to an American first visiting England, to see

the quantities of game which abound at certain seasons of the year in

the London and other markets of that country, in contrast with the

scanty supply, or rather no supply at all, existing in the markets of

American cities. The reason for such difference is, that in England,

Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, every acre of the soil is appropriated to

some profitable use, while we, from the abundance of land in America,

select only the best for agricultural purposes, and let the remainder go

barren and uncared for. Lands appropriated to the rearing of game, when

fit for farm pasturage or tillage, is unprofitable, generally, with us;

but there are thousands of acres barren for other purposes, that might

be devoted to the breeding and pasturage of rabbits, and which, by thus

appropriating them, might be turned to profitable account. All the

preparation required is, to enclose the ground with a high and nearly

close paling fence, and the erection of a few rude hutches inside, for

winter shelter and the storage of their food. They will burrow into the

ground, and breed with great rapidity; and in the fall and winter

seasons, they will be fat for market with the food they gather from the

otherwise worthless soil over which they run. Rocky, bushy, and

evergreen grounds, either hill, dale, or plain, are good for them,

wherever the soils are dry and friable. The rabbit is a gross feeder,

living well on what many grazing animals reject, and gnawing down all

kinds of bushes, briars, and noxious weeds.

The common domestic rabbits are probably the best for market purposes,

and were they to be made an object of attention, immense tracts of

mountain land in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the New York and New

England highlands could be made available for this object.

Some may think this a small business. So is making pins, and rearing

chickens, and bees. But there are an abundance of people, whose age and

capacity are just fitted for it, and for want of other employment are a

charge upon their friends or the public; and now, when our cities and

large towns are so readily reached by railroads from all parts of the

country, our farmers should study to apply their land to the production

of everything that will find a profitable market. Things unthought of,

a few years ago, now find a large consumption in our large cities and

towns, by the aid of railroads; and we know of no good reason, why this

production and traffic should not continue to an indefinite extent. When

the breeding of rabbits is commenced, get a good treatise on the

breeding and rearing of them, which may be found at many of the

bookstores.

As the rearing of rabbits, and their necessary accommodation, is not a

subject to which we have given much personal attention, we applied to

Francis Rotch, Esq., of Morris, Otsego county, New York, who is probably

the most accomplished rabbit "fancier" in the United States, for

information, with which he has kindly furnished us. His beautiful and

high-bred animals have won the highest premiums, at the shows of the New

York State Agricultural Society. He thus answers:

"I now forward you the promised plan from Mr. Alfred Rodman, of

Dedham, Massachusetts, which, I think, will give you the information

you wish upon these subjects.

"Rabbits kept for profit in the vicinity of a city, and where there

are mills, may be raised at a very small cost; and when once known

as an article of food, will be liberally paid for by the epicure,

for their meat is as delicate as a chicken's, and their fat mild,

and very rich.

"I am surprised they are not more generally kept, as a source of

amusement, and for the purposes of experiment.

"There is, I think, in many, a natural fondness for animals, but not

easily indulged without more room than is often to be found in city

residences. Fowls, and pigeons, trespass on our neighbors, and are a

frequent cause of trouble. This objection does not hold good against

the rabbit, which occupies so small a space, that where there is an

outhouse there may be a rabbitry. _English_ children are encouraged

in their fondness for animals, as tending to good morals and good

feelings, and as offering a _home_ amusement, in contradistinction

to _street_ associations."

[Illustration: Drawn from life, by Mr. FRANCIS ROTCH.]

Mr. Rotch continues:

"I have just finished the enclosed drawing of a 'fancy rabbit,'

which I hope will answer your purpose, as an illustration of what

the little animal should be in form, color, marking, and carriage,

according to the decisions of the various societies in and out of

London, who are its greatest admirers and patrons. These amateurs

hold frequent meetings for its exhibition, at which premiums are

awarded, and large prizes paid for such specimens as come up to

their standard of excellence. This standard is, of course,

conventional; and, as might be expected, is a combination of form

and color very difficult to obtain--based, it is true, on the most

correct principles of general breeding; but much of _fancy_ and

beauty is added to complete the requisites of a prize rabbit. For

instance, the head must be small and clean; the shoulders wide and

full; the chest broad and deep; the back wide, and the loin large.

Thus far, these are the characteristics of all really _good_ and

_improved_ animals; to which are to be added, on the score of

'fancy,' an eye round, full, and bright; an ear _long_, broad, and

pendant, of a soft, delicate texture, dropping nearly

perpendicularly by the side of the head--this is termed its

'carriage.' The color must be in rich, unmixed _masses_ on the body,

spreading itself over the back, side, and haunch, but breaking into

spots and patches on the shoulder, called the 'chain;' while that on

the back is known as the 'saddle.' The head must be full of color,

broken with white on the forehead and cheeks; the marking over the

bridge of the nose and down on both sides into the lips, should be

dark, and in shape somewhat resembling a butterfly, from which this

mark takes its name; the ear, however, must be uniform in color. Add

to all this, a large, full dewlap, and you will have a rabbit fit to

'_go in and win_.'

"The most esteemed colors are black and white; yellow and white;

tortoise-shell and white; blue and white, and gray and white. These

are called 'broken colors,' while those of _one_ uniform color are

called 'selfs.'"

It will be observed that Mr. Rotch here describes a beautiful "fancy"

variety of "lop-eared" rabbits, which he brought from England a few

years since. They were, originally, natives of Madagascar. He continues:

"The domestic rabbit, in all its varieties, has always been, and

still is, a great favorite, in many parts of the European continent:

"In Holland, it is bred with reference to color only, which must be

a pure white, with dark ears, feet, legs, and tail; this

distribution has a singular effect, but, withal, it is a pretty

little creature. The French breed a long, rangy animal, of great

_apparent_ size, but deficient in depth and breadth, and of course,

wanting in constitution; no attention is paid to color, and its

marking is matter of accident. The White Angola, with its beautiful

long fur and red eyes, is also a great favorite in France.

"In England, the rabbit formerly held the rank of 'farm stock!' and

thousands of acres were exclusively devoted to its production;

families were supported, and rents, rates, and taxes were paid from

its increase and sale. The '_gray-skins_' went to the hatter, the

'_silver-skins_' were shipped to China, and were dressed as furs;

while the flesh was a favorite dish at home. This was the course

pursued in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and many other counties, with

their light sandy soils, before the more general introduction of

root culture, and the rotation of crops, gave an increased value to

such land. Since then, however, I remember visiting a farm of Lord

Onslow's, in Surrey, containing about 1,400 acres. It was in the

occupation of an eminent flock-master and agriculturist, who kept

some hundreds of hutched rabbits for the sake of their manure, which

he applied to his turnep crop; added to this, their skins and

carcasses were quite an item of profit, notwithstanding the care of

them required an old man and boy, with a donkey and cart. The food

used was chiefly brewer's grains, miller's waste, bran and hay, with

clover and roots, the cost of keeping not exceeding two pence a

week. The hutches stood under a long shed, open on all sides, for

the greater convenience of cleaning and feeding. I was told that the

manure was much valued by the market gardeners round London, who

readily paid 2s. 6d. a bushel at the rabbitries. These rabbitries

are very numerous in all the towns and cities of England, and form a

source of amusement or profit to all classes, from the man of

fortune to the day laborer. Nor is it unfrequent that this latter

produces a rabbit from an old tea-chest, or dry-goods box, that wins

the prize from its competitor of the mahogany hutch or ornamental

rabbitry.

"The food of the rabbit embraces great variety, including grain of

all kinds, bran, pea-chaff, miller's waste, brewer's grains, clover

and other hay, and the various weeds known as plantain, dock,

mallow, dandelion, purslain, thistles, &c., &c.

"The rabbit thus easily conforms itself to the means, condition, and

circumstances of its owner; occupies but little space, breeds often,

comes early to maturity, and is withal, a healthy animal, requiring

however, to be kept clean, and to be _cautiously_ fed with

_succulent_ food, which must always be free from dew or rain--water

is unnecessary to them when fed with 'greens.' My own course of

feeding is, one gill of oats in the morning, with a medium-sized

cabbage leaf, or what I may consider its _equivalent_ in any other

vegetable food, for the rabbit in confinement must be, as already

stated, cautiously fed with what is succulent. At noon, I feed a

handfull of cut hay or clover chaff, and in the evening the same as

in the morning. To does, when suckling, I give what they will eat of

both green and dry food. The cost to me is about three cents per

week, per head.

"I by no means recommend this as the best, or the most economical

mode of feeding, but it happens to suit my convenience. Were I in a

town, or near mills, I should make use of other and cheaper

substitutes. My young rabbits, when taken from the doe, say at

eight, ten, or twelve weeks old, are turned out together till about

six months old, when it becomes necessary to take them up, and put

them in separate hutches, to prevent their fighting and destroying

each other. The doe at that age is ready to breed; her period of

gestation is about thirty-one or two days, and she produces from

three or four to a dozen young at a 'litter'. It is not well to let

her raise more than six, or even four at once--the fewer, the larger

and finer the produce.

"Young rabbits are killed for the table at any age, from twelve

weeks to twelve months old, and are a very acceptable addition to

the country larder. The male is not allowed to remain with the doe,

lest he should destroy the young ones.

"Hutches are made singly, or in stacks, to suit the apartment, which

should be capable of thorough ventilation. The best size is about

three feet long, two feet deep, and fourteen inches high, with a

small apartment partitioned off from one end, nearly a foot wide,

as a breeding place for the doe. A wire door forms the front, and an

opening is left behind for cleaning; the floor should have a descent

to the back of the hutch of two inches. All edges should be tinned,

to save them from being gnawed.

"Having now given the leading characteristics and qualities which

constitute a good 'fancy lop-eared rabbit,' and its general

management, allow me to remark on the striking difference observable

between Americans and the people of many other countries, as to a

fondness for animals, or what are termed 'fancy pets,' of and for

which we, as a people, know and care very little. Indeed, we

scarcely admit more than a selfish fellowship with the dog, and but

too seldom does our attachment even for this faithful companion,

place him beyond the reach of the _omnipotent dollar_.

"The operatives, mechanics, and laborers, in other countries, seem

to have a perfect passion for such pursuits, and take the greatest

interest and pride in breeding and perfecting the lesser animals,

though often obliged to toil for the very food they feed to them.

Here, too, home influences are perceived to be good, and are

encouraged by the employer, as supplying the place of other and much