Show RAISE RABBITS TO INCREASE MEAT SUPPLY S I es es's s 's f br ik o. o 9 af is 6 lJ kl rf ia 1 lk n GROUP OF DOMESTIC RABBITS WHILE AT LUNCH At four Cour months the young youn Belgian hare should be ready rendy for the table and If it has been properly fed should weigh about six pounds or even more This weight is about the best for market mar mar- market ket rabbits and Immediate sale is ismore ismore ismore more profitable than keeping to ma mn- Some breeders sell at 10 to 12 weeks and aim to have their stock weigh about 5 51 pounds at that age To do this requires that the animals be kept l In small hutches where they can have but little exercise and that they be fed heavily from the time they are weaned Under this treatment they grow very rapidly and are really superior for the table Market Returns It Is not easy to state what a n breeder should realize for market rabbits Much depends on local conditions and especially upon the familiarity of the public with the excellence of hutch rabbits for the table If the animals are new to a marl market et a demand for them will have to be built up but as asa asa asa a rule they soon will become popular Better prices usually can cnn be had by selling directly to the consumer thus saving the middleman's profit One may make arrangements to deliver regularly or periodically to hotels and restaurants but often a poultry dealer will agree to take n a certain quantity at regular intervals If It members of the family look after the rabbits so that there is no outlay for labor and If the hutches are arc built at home the cost of rearing may be greatly reduced and much of the income will be net gain Although It must be admitted that rabbits require more care than usually Is given to poultry on our farms their management has bas the advantage advantage advantage ad ad- vantage that it is more interesting especially to the younger members of the family Disposing of Surplus After selecting the best stock for breeding purposes It is well to dispose of the remainder as rapidly as conditions conditions conditions condi condi- warrant If those to be sold are areto areto areto to be marl marketed eted alive all that is needed Is to crate them properly and forward them to their destination This is the better plan in hot weather as the carcasses do not t keep well If It carcasses carcasses carcasses car car- casses are to be delivered the methods methods methods meth meth- of killing and packing are Important Import Import- ant considerations Killing There are two excellent ways of ot killing the animals The easier casler and probably the more humane is to dislocate dis dis- dl dislocate locate the neck Almost all gamekeepers gamekeepers game game- keepers l know this method and can show bow the novice quickly how it Is done but probably a description willbe will vill be he understood Take the two hind legs of the rabbit firmly In the lefthand left lefthand hand place the thumb of the right hand Just behind the ears where the neck joins the skull the palm resting on the left side of the face and the fingers holding firmly under the jaws Then stretch out the animal quickly and with force pressing In the right thumb and bending the head bead back back- ward The dislocation will be felt dis dis- This method requires considerable considerable considerable con con- strength but when the knack of or It Is learned It entails less suffering sufferIng suffering suffer suffer- ing than any other Another excellent excellent excellent excel excel- lent wa way of killing I Is to hold the rabbit rabbit rabbit rab rab- bit up in the left hand as in the first method and then to strike a ablow she blow on the back of the head hend with a u around round stick stunning the animal As soon as the neck Is dislocated or the rabbit stunned the jugular vein should be cut with a sharp knife and the animal animal ani ani- mal hung head downward to bleed Dressing The next nest step in preparing a carcass for market is to remove the paunch and entrails as their presence would soon taint the meat With a sharp- sharp pointed knife make a longitudinal cut down the middle of the belly dividing dividIng dividing divid divid- ing the skin and the thin abdominal walls but being careful not to cut the I Intestines Turn out the paunch and the intestines but leave the lungs i liver heart and kidneys In place i Next make a slit between the large tendon and the bone of one hind leg legand legand and slip sUp the other leg through the cut so that the carcass may be readily hung up It should hang long enough to stiffen before being packed Packing For packing the rabbits for market marketa a basket or hamper of the ordinary shape and having movable flat fiat slatted tra trays s 's to enable one to pack the car carcasses cari Gasses casses in separate layers is mended Such a hamper permits free circulation of the air nil not only on the edge but also throughout the package and the carcasses packed In this way reach their destination in an attractive state instead of In the messy condition condl condi- tion so often seen in the wild rabbits marketed In America Cooking and Serving The cooking of domestic rabbits does not differ greatly from that required re re- required qui red for domestic fowls and an experienced experienced ex ex- housewife can prepare them In a variety of savory ways As the meat is naturally somewhat dry as much as possible of the juices should be retained in cooking It |