RABBIT

Remember those multiplication tables at school? Well, even the twelve’s were as nothing compared to the rabbit. Mother rabbit can have forty or fifty youngsters between March and Octo­ber, and within five or six months these youngsters are parents themselves.

Today the magicians are not those who pull rab­bits out of a hat - but the clever Furriers who make "seal," "leopard," "beaver," "muskrat," and "broadtail" from rabbit! This in itself, far from be­ing a tragedy, is a blessing - for it makes it pos­sible for every woman to enjoy the warmth and comfort of smart Fur without the burden of heavy expenditure. It has aided in "rabbit control" too. The danger lies in not calling these simulated Furs by their true names.

Rabbits are found in all parts of North America, Europe and Asia. Australia leads with an output of twenty million skins a year. France, Germany and Belgium together yield fifty million pelts annually. It is only during the last thirty years that Furriers have taken advantage of the tremendous possibili­ties of the prolific rabbit.

Fine rabbit, "lapin" in French, is a downy Fur which stands on its own merits. Such skins come from France and Belgium. If sturdy buck hides are used, and the sides well cut away and the workmanship is good, a well wearing garment is assured. A new breed of Chinchilla rabbit is being developed - a "sport" or freak breed of the rabbit. This new Fur is deep and soft, and wears better than many higher priced Furs.