Page:Care and Management of Rabbits.djvu/185

Rh was never truer than in breeding rabbits. You will get just exactly what you have to start with, unless you have a system of breeding which makes it possible to advance a step at a time at least.

The usual system of breeding is what is known as cross-breeding. By that we mean that unrelated animals are bred together each generation. This system has just one advantage and that is that it keeps up the constitutional vigor and stamina of the offspring to a remarkable degree. There certainly is no danger of your stock "running out," under this system.

But it has its disadvantages as well. It does not preserve the other qualities in the offspring such as type, color, characteristics and station. It merely increases constitutional vigor. It also has the disadvantage of making it necessary to get new males each mating or season. That is not only expensive and troublesome but oftentimes a serious problem for the small breeder. It is, at best,