188 



THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



summarized as follows : (1) It costs less to breed and 

 raise a mule to a serviceable size than a horse. (2) Less 

 time is required to prepare a lot of mules than a lot of 

 colts for the market. (3) Young mules may be sold 

 readily at any age, and in any number. (4) Mule 

 colts uniformly command a higher price than horse colts 

 of similar relative quality and value. (5) Mules are 

 subject to fewer diseases and less liable to serious accidents. 



223. The type of jack to use. The jack for mule pro- 

 duction should be at least fifteen hands high and should 

 carry maximum weight, but this does not mean that the 



jack should be fat; 

 large size, that with it 

 may go heavy bone, a 

 broad chest and great 

 strength in the region 

 of the hips; a large 

 strong foot is de- 

 sirable also. To these 

 features should be 

 added all the style 

 attainable (Fig. 32). 

 Associated with size 

 will usually be found 

 a rather large head, somewhat heavy and coarse, and 

 not of the best quality; but it is better to sacrifice 

 quality if weight and substance, requisites of the first 

 importance in the mule, may be secured. 



224. The kind of mare to breed from. A common 

 error is to suppose that as soon as a mare becomes diseased 

 and unfit for horse-breeding she may be used for the 

 production of mules. Perhaps this accounts for so many 

 inferior mule colts. It matters not how superior the 



FIG. 32. Poitou jack. 



