tion of a college professor. The warning of our California exchange should be heeded by our Maine people who are embarking in the Belgian hare business. It is well to go slow, and to examine the real conditions elsewhere before one is lured on by the glittering promises of this fad. Let somebody else do the experimenting."

Upon receipt of this, which was sent us through the mail, we wrote the United States Secretary of Agriculture for such information as he could furnish us, and received in reply a copy of his last annual report, from which we copy the following, from page 43 of said report:

"BELGIAN HARE.

"Much interest in the Belgian hare has been developed during the last three years, especially in California, Colorado, and other western states. But however valuable Belgian hares may be for meat or fur, their introduction in large numbers is accompanied by a certain element of danger which should not be overlooked. Some are sure to escape, and the State Board of Horticulture of California has estimated that several thousand of these animals are already, at large in the State. If they increase as rapidly when at large as they do in captivity, they will undoubtedly become a source of danger, and stringent measures may be required to keep them under control. Still more dangerous would be the introduction of the Belgian hare into Porto Rico where the question of its acclimatization has already excited interest.”

On the other hand we have noticed that the public press has been discussing this subject quite fully of late and many advertisements have appeared in our leading newspapers like the following:

"THE BELGIAN HARE IS SURELY COMING.

New Business that is Destined to be Important in the State of Maine.

"He's coming. The Belgian hare is nibbling his way into the good graces of the Maine people slowly but surely and it is no idle prophesy to say that in less than ten years the Belgian hare will be bred, reared and marketed on half the farms in the State. "And why not?

"There is more profit in Belgians than in any kind of live stock which can be raised on a farm.

"There is hardly a reader of this paper but what has heard of Belgian hares, but very few have more than a general idea concerning this modest claimant for public attention. To go into all the details of their origin, breeding, care, etc., would make ample material for a big book, but to answer a few questions, those most generally asked, may add to the interested reader's general information.

"WHAT IS THE BELGIAN HARE?

"The Belgian hare is something like a common rabbit but larger, handsomer, more graceful in form, cleaner, finer in fur and the flesh far and away better.

"In color it is a reddish brown-rufous red-the breeders call it. The coat is glossy and refulgent. As its name indicates it originated in Belgium. In England hare culture has attained a high degree of excellence and there are males or bucks valued as high as $2,500. The business has been carried on extensively in California and the western states for several years and is gradually working east.

"CAN THEY BE RAISED IN MAINE?

"Most assuredly, yes. Hares require no warmer quarters than poultry, but must be kept dry and free from draughts. They do not like a strong light. They are not subject to vermin, are cleanly in their habits and can be kept in a back chamber, attic, or any such room in a house, if need be. Any farm has available room for a rabbitry—a shed chamber, unused carriage house or hennery-any old place that can be made tight will do.

"HOW MUCH ROOM IS REQUIRED?

"Belgians are quiet in their habits and require but little room. Breeding does must be kept in separate hutches and bucks separated after three months old, as at that age they get pugnacious and are apt to kick holes in each other's skins. Hutches are usually made in rows eight feet deep, separated by partitions, making each two feet wide. Two feet is sufficiently high and

thus the hutches can be tiered three, four or even five high, if floor space is limited. Wire netting, or even wooden slats can be used. At the end of each hutch a nest box-a cracker box makes a good one-is placed. Larger pens are usually provided for youngsters when a number are in together.

"WHAT DO THEY EAT?

"Belgians will eat almost anything. A staple bill recommended is a handful of oats in the morning, carrots and beets at noon and some clover hay at night. The hares are not great eaters and the item of feed is a small one.

"They require plenty of fresh and clean water and like any other stock cannot be expected to thrive without regular and intelligent care.

"HOW OFTEN DO THEY BREED?

"These hares are very prolific. They breed at the age of six months and may have litters every six weeks of from 8 to 13 young. The increase is something amazing. We will presume the doe is bred five times during the year, and with the low average of eight to a litter, gives 40. Now suppose that half of these are does, which is generally the case; four does from the first breeding will produce young twice before the end of the year, making 64, and added to those of the mother doe makes 104. But this is not all; the four does from the second litter by the mother will be old enough to have kindled once before the year closes, making 32 more to be added to the 104, which gives a grand total of 136 from one rabbit a year."

We would suggest that it would be a wise move to have a law prohibiting the introduction into this State of any birds or animals without permission having first been obtained from the Commissioners of Inland Fisheries and Game; it has long been the law that no fish can be introduced into the waters of the State without their permission.

CHANGES IN THE FISH AND GAME LAWS.

It is pretty generally admitted that Maine has the best code of game laws of any in existence, and many states and other countries are rapidly patterning after them. After the people have familiarized themselves with them we do not deem it wise to make frequent changes, "tinkering the laws" should be avoided as much as possible.

We do not think it would be deemed expedient to make any radical changes at present. Some few changes of minor importance are needed and some clerical errors should be corrected. Without venturing an opinion upon proposed changes we submit herewith a few of the very many suggestions for amendments to these laws we have received.

LICENSE FEE FOR HUNTERS.

"I understand that you are somewhat cramped for funds, and that it is impossible for you in consequence to have adequate warden service. I, for one, would favor a license for everyone hunting deer or moose, the whole to be expended in the protection of game. I know that this matter has been agitated to some extent and that there are divers opinions in regard to it.

"I should prefer to pay a license fee and feel that I had a fair chance of securing game of good growth or none at all, which indications point to at the present time. I was born and bred in the good old State of Maine and have never lost my interest in the State or its affairs.”

Another writes: "The deer population of the woods is variously estimated at from 50,000 to 100,000. There are from 125,000 to 150,000 voters. No citizen of Maine can take even one deer without taking more than his exact share. When he takes two he greatly exceeds it. Why should he not purchase the excess by a method of license? There is nothing unfair to any citizen of Maine requiring him to pay for what he takes of the property belonging to the corporation, as it has been decided by the courts that all wild game in the State belongs to the citizens thereof not pro rata to them individually, but to all in their corporate capacity. No one citizen, therefore, has any

more right to help himself to any portion, than he has to put his hand into the State treasury and extract a few dollars as his share. Last year about 4,000 deer were taken out the State (estimated) by about the same number of non-resident sportsmen, an average of one each, many had none. Call it one-third. Then one-third must have had two. If the law had limited all to one, probably some of the unlucky hunters would have had given them some of the surplus killed by those who were more fortunate. It might have reduced the legal shipment one thousand. It is not the shipments that need to be watched as much as the killing. What is needed is a corps of wardens who shall visit every fishing and hunting and every lumbering camp in the State, both in close and open time, irregularly, but frequently. Hold every camp proprietor, guide and foreman personally responsible for violations of law by employees, guests or patrons -such responsibility to be avoided only by promptly reporting each and every offender. Present laws are ample, if the Commissioners only had the means with which to enforce them. Additional restrictions would be of no use without money, unnecessary with it. I am an advocate of a license fee for all who hunt in Maine, the money to be used exclusively for the protection of game."

SAMPLE LETTERS FROM GUIDES:

"Commissioners of Inland Fisheries and Game:

"GENTLEMEN: The lumber camps in this section ought to be watched more closely because they are certainly supplying their camps with more venison than the law allows. This is all done in open season in the following manner: Each crew or camp contains from one to a dozen rifles. The men owning the rifles are furnished with ammunition to kill all they can for camp use and the crew being banded together claim whatever each man kills over the number allowed by law. I do not think that the large concerns do much of this but it is the smaller ones, jobbers and contractors. It is a well known fact that there were 52 deer killed and brought into lumber camp which was situated at lake. Now about these 52 deer,-when I first heard the story I would not believe it, but since then from remarks made by men who worked there I have been obliged to believe that the story is true.