186 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



to the other at stated periods. He engages the use of the mares in each neigh- 

 borhood at a given price for the product. In such cases contracts are made 

 with the owners of the mares to deliver the colts in sound condition at a given 

 place and date, where the feeder collects his crop^as it is often termed. 



A horse should always be used as a teaser to try if the mare be in season, 

 because mares will often allow the jack to serve them after having been teased 

 by a horse, when their natural timidity would have caused them to refuse any 

 approaches by the jack without such preparation. Moreover, it saves the jack 

 from an undue excitement in trying to overcome the antipathy -which some 

 mares have to the very sight of him. Mares should be bred to the jack early 

 in the spring, so that the colts may have sufficient age before winter sets in. 

 Besides, if they are all weaned at the same time, they will have ibe advantage 

 of beginning their feeding alike, and they will remain more uniform during the 

 winter. 



TREATMENT. 



Mules are timid animals, possessing also a great amount of curiosity in their 

 composition. Afi'ection strongly characterizes all their actions ; but they pos- 

 sess a peculiarity unusual in most domestic animals, that of resenting any 

 injury. From this circumstance they have received the credit of viciousness 

 and stubbornness, Avhich, by a proper study of their characters, and by proper 

 treatment from the beginning, can, in most cases, be overcome. It is much 

 easier to train up a mule in the way in which it is to go, and to fit it for the 



fiurposes for which it is intended, than to overcome any bad propensity arising 

 rom years of mismanagement. Therefore, upon the collection of the colts at 

 weaning time, they should be placed in an enclosure from which there is no 

 possibility of their escaping until they shall have forgotten their dams. By 

 this means the first step is taken to prevent the formation of one of their mulish 

 propensities — that of being " breachy." At all times one should move among 

 the colts quietly, and without evincing any outward manifestations of fear, and 

 in this way will soon gain their confidence, and, after a very few days, the 

 feeder will be in perfect safety from injury. 



If during the first summer any of the colts should have been taught unnaly 

 tricks, care must be taken to avoid receiving harm from them; and before many 

 mouths, if they be kept away from the bad associations, the tricks will be 

 forgotten. 



Feeders succeed best when the colts are collected about the same time, early 

 enough for them to become accustomed to the change of food before the setting 

 in of cold weather, and late enough to avoid the great annoyance and injury 

 which young stock sufier from the flies. 



The period usually considered best for gathering the crop is from the 20th 

 to the end of September. When the colts are collected and brought together 

 in this way, they form mutual attachments which last until they are separated. 

 They should be furnished with good pasture, and should be fed with grain once 

 a day, which usually consists of oats, mill feed, or green corn. If obliged to 

 confine them when first collected, green corn, cut up with the stalks, should be 

 given frequently in small quantities at each time, so as to entice them to eat, 

 and to encourage their appetites. This may be alternated with dry oats or 

 mill feed. A constant supply of pure water is very desirable ; for, though the 

 mule is capable of enduring greater irregularities in feeding and vicissitudes of 

 the weather than the horse, still success in feeding depends upon having food 

 and water convenient and accessible to the stock. When these arrangements 

 are properly provided, the mule is a very light feeder; but he wants a I'Utle 

 often, and should be furnithcd a variety of food, so that he may partake of it 

 according to his fancy. 



Many prefer a wood-lot for wintering their mules, if the ground be firm and 



