in some instances, dearly bought, but it

may not prove

less valuable on that account

to my young friends.

THE rabbit being, by nature, a very strong-scented animal, requires, when in a domestic state, to be kept particularly clean and dry; and unless this important point be duly attended to, these creatures will not thrive. To further this, the bottom of the hutch or box should have several holes drilled in it, that the moisture from the animal may drain speedily off. Rabbits that are not kept clean are liable to dropsy and the rot, beside a species of madness, which often ends in death. These diseases may, in a great measure, be avoided by proper management as to their food and litter.

Young persons who keep rabbits, especially boys, if they cannot command a servant to perform these necessary offices for

their rabbits, should not be above attending to them themselves; and this may be done without dirtying or soiling either their hands or clothes, if proper means be resorted to. A short handled hoe to scrape the bottom of the hutch with, a wisp of straw, or an old mop fastened to the end of a stick, about two feet in length, to rub the places dry, and an old box, placed under the hutch to receive the dirty litter, will prevent any unpleasant consequences: these conveniences are easily procured with little expense, and will save much trouble. A little management on the part of young people will overcome any difficulty in making these arrangements; and it is a good thing to call forth the expediency of their minds even in trifles, as it teaches them to think and act for themselves as they advance in life.

My father would never tell us any thing we wanted to know, without first endeavouring to make us exercise our own reason. If we said, "Do, dear papa, tell us how this or that

thing is to be done, or what we are to do under such circumstances, or how such a thing is begun or finished,” he would reply: "Go and think awhile, or try and find it out by yourselves; you have a head, you have hands to obey that head, but if you are really not sufficiently clever to discover the right way, I will tell you; but then I desire you to bear in mind, the merit of the performance will be mine, and not your own." By this means he taught us the value and usefulness of knowledge, and gave us a motive for exerting our own ingenuity and abilities.

But to return to my directions: after having thoroughly cleared away the refuse litter, which may then be removed to any convenient heap, or to the farm-yard, a little dry sand or sawdust should be sifted over the floor of the hutch, as it helps to absorb the wet and moisture. The inner berth should be duly supplied with fresh hay or straw, and should be cleaned at least

twice a week, the outer place every other day. A very few minutes will be sufficient to perform this necessary office; and those children who love their rabbits, will think little of devoting so small a portion of time to their service.

With regard to food, I have always found the best way was to feed them regularly three or four times a day, giving them a sufficiency, but not too much at a time, as the food is apt to be wasted, these animals taking a great disgust to victuals that has been long exposed to the air of the hutches. Green herbs or vegetables should be gathered some hours before they are given to the rabbits, unless it be in warm weather, when the dew is quickly dried from the leaves. We generally managed to have a day or two's stock in hand, that they might be sufficiently dry, as over moisture occasions them to die of the rot. A portion of dry food, such as hay, which they are very fond of, dry clover, barley, straw,

chopped carrots, Sweedish turnips, bran, and oats, should be given them with their greens, to counteract the abundant moisture contained in their juices; grains they will eat, and bread, but this latter article I consider too precious to bestow upon animals, when so many poor families are in want of it.

A list of the vegetables and herbs most proper for rabbits may not be unacceptable. Among those most eagerly sought after by them, I shall name all the cabbage (or brassica) tribe, carrots-both root and top, lettuce, endive, Sweedish turnips, (the white, though they are fond of it, should be given in moderation, as it is rather too cold and watery a vegetable,) potato-tops, lucern, green oats, tares, dandelion, groundsel; sowthistle, milk, and tare thistles are very good, both as food and medicine; apple-parings, with a variety of summer fruits. They relish also the leaves and shoots of vines; parsley and parsneps they