400 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



Jack and Spanish Jennet, which approach the size of the 

 large Spanish Jack, was bred a valuable animal Compound, 

 which partook of all the good qualities of the sire, with the 

 weight of the dam. From him descended many of the best 

 mules of Mount Vernon. Many other valuable importations 

 followed these animals, and it is believed, we have for many 

 years, had as fine specimens of the ass as the world affords. 

 Jennets or she asses, are used among us principally for breed- 

 ing Jacks, and of course are not numerous. They are some- 

 times, though seldom, bred to the horse. It is difficult to 

 induce the horse to notice them, and the produce, which is 

 called a hinny, is less hardy and useful than the mule. The 

 milk of the she-ass is lighter and more digestible than that 

 of any other animal, and in former times was in great request 

 for invalids. 



The ass is occasionally used in the cart, or as a beast of 

 burden. Such as are employed for these purposes, are gene- 

 rally of an inferior kind, and are only used for the lightest 

 work. They may sometimes be seen among the fish-mongers 

 and small vegetable dealers about our city markets, but little 

 larger than a Newoundland dog or Shetland pony, trun- 

 dling along a light cart with a wheel-barrow load. In an- 

 cient times they have been, and in foreign countries even at 

 the present time, they are extensively used. But the moderns 

 have adopted the mule as the proper and almost exclusive 

 substitute for the ass ; and it would show a still greater intel- 

 ligence and economy, if it much more extensively took the. 

 place of the horse. 



THE MULE 



Ts the hybrid produced by the ass with the mare. How early 

 this animal was bred, is uncertain, but we know he was in 

 li : i_ r h repute in the reign of David, near 3000 years ago, for 

 IK- was rode by Absalom, the favorite prince of Israel, on the 

 li'-ld of battle. They have from time immemorial, been bred 

 in various parts of the East, on the borders of the Mediterra- 

 nean, and throughout Spain, Portugal, and other countries, 

 many of them being of splendid appearance and of fine quali- 

 ties. In these countries, they arc frequently used by the 

 ^nunlrcs and nobles, and indeed by royalty itself; and how- 

 ever much they may be undervalued elsewhere, when they 

 ur<> finely bred and trained, and richly caparisoned, they ex- 

 hibit a stateliness and bearing, that few of the highest bred 

 horses can match. 



