THE ASS. 403 



their growth, that shoes require no removal, and hold on till 

 worn out ; and the wear from the lightness of the animal is 

 much less. Mules have been lost by feeding on cut straw, 

 and corn meal ; in no other instance have 1 known disease 

 in them, except by inflammation of the intestines, caused by 

 the grossest exposure to cold and wet, and excessive drinking 

 cold water, after severe labor, and while in a high state of 

 perspiration. It is not improbable a farmer may work the 

 same team of mules for 20 years without having a farrier's 

 bill presented to him. In my experience of 30 years, I 

 have never found but one mule inclined to be vicious, and he 

 might have been easily subdued while young. I have 

 always found them truer pullers and quicker travellers, with 

 a load, than horses. Their vision and hearing are much 

 more accurate. I have used them in my family carriage, in 

 a gig, and under the saddle ; and have never known one to 

 start or run from any object or noise, a fault in the horse that 

 continually causes the maiming and death of numerous 

 human beings. The mule is more steady in his draught, and 

 less likely to waste his strength than the horse, hence more 

 suitable to work with oxen, and as he walks faster, will 

 habituate them to a faster gait. In plowing among crops, 

 his feet being small and following each other so much more 

 in a line, he seldom treads down the ridgf s or crops. The 

 facility of instructing him to obey impliciily the voice of the 

 driver is astonishing. The best plowed tillage land I ever 

 saw, I have had performed by two mules tandem^ without 

 lines or driver. The mule is capable of enduring labor in a 

 temperature of heat that would be destructive to a horse. 

 Although a large mule will consume something over one- 

 half the food of a horse, yet the saving in shoeing, farrying, 

 and insurance against diseases and accidents, will amount to 

 at least one-half. In addition, the owner may rely with 

 tolerable certainty on the continuance of his mule capital for 

 30 years ; whereas the horse owner must, at the end of 15 

 years, look to his crops, his acres, or a bank for the renewal 

 of his. The longevity of a mule is so proverbial, that a 

 purchaser seldom inquires his age. Pliny mentions one 80 

 years old ; and Dr. Rees, two in England, that reached the 

 age of 70. I saw one performing his labor in a cane- mill 

 in the West Indies, which the owner assured me was 40 

 years old. I have now a mare-mule 25 years old, that I 

 have had in constant work for 21 years. She has often 

 within a year taken a ton weight in a wagon to Boston, five 



