Country Life
FARMERS AND TAME RABBITS.' - -
In England the Oxford Show, which concluded last week,
is accepted as the opening event of the agricultural season. Since the exhibit of stock excelled the best on record, we- may infer perhaps that the British farmer, led by the Prince' of Wales, has begun to believe in the new value of British stock, especially beef -'cattle, as foretold by Professor Haldane, and alSo is continuing to concentrate on the dairy. One of the distinctions of this lively and (in some respects only) well-organized show was the emphasis on youth. The Young Farmers' Clubs (with 2,000 members) are in an excellent movetnent, and, though their central association is rather short of funds (towards which contributions would be welcome), promise well. The members must keep " some live thing." At the moment the favourite live thing, at' least in Oxford, is the rabbit. Fantastic accounts have appeared recently in some quarters of the profits made from rabbits—especially by French peasants. These are fairy stories ; but rabbits may give a very good return ; and, as a woman specialist said to me, " We like an animal that does not have to be killed." The Angora may remain a pet while it is paying quarterly dividends. It grows hair, as long as Struwelpeter's. This is shorn several times a year. Many who would shrink from keeping chinchillas—or even sheep and pigs—take kindly to the perennial Angora. It lives as long as most eats and dogs ; and though it is a little like the dormouse, which, someone complained, " has no habits," it is a not unenga ging creature.
* *
Previous page
