424 T.^E ASS AND THE MULE. 



when 1 commenced farming, to purchase the first well-broke mule I could light on , and 

 notwithstanding he was so small as to require a vehicle and harness constructed purposely 

 for him, his services were found so valuable, and the economy of using those animals so 

 evident, that I was stimulated to great exertions for procuring several others of larger 

 size, 1 in this I succeeded, after great difficulty, to such an extent, as to have had more labour 

 performed by them on farm and road for thirty years past, than any person, I presume, in 

 New England ; and every day's experience has served to fortify my conviction of the supe- 

 rior utility of the mule over the horse, for all the purposes for which I have proposed him aa 

 a candidate. And it should be considered that those I have used were of an ordinary breed, 

 vastly inferior to such as may be easily produced in our country, by attention to the intro 

 duction of a suitable race of Jacks, and a proper system of breeding and management. 



The question occurs, how is this to be effected ? I will premise, that there exists a strong 

 analogy between three varieties of the horse, and those of the domestic ass, considered the 

 most valuable. We have the Arabian, the hunter, and the stout cart-horse. There is the 

 heavy Spanish Jack, with long slouching ears, which Mr. Custis has described, that answers 

 to the cart-horse ; another Spanish breed called the Andalvsian, with ears shorter and erect, of 

 tolerable size, plenty of bone, active, more spirited, and answering to the hunter. Then 

 comes the Arabian Jack, with ears always erect, of a delicate form, fine limbs, and full of 

 fire and spirit. Judicious crosses from these varieties, will be requisite to produce such kind 

 of mules as may be wanted for general purposes. From the small Jack of African origin, 

 with a list down his back and shoulders, are bred a small race of mules, by far the most 

 nardy of any. With attention to selection In breeding the Jacks, with, perhaps, a dash of 

 some cross of the foregoing description, a stock of mules may be produced, preferable to all 

 others for the light lands and cotton culture of the middle and southern states. 



To procure any number of Arabian Jacks from their native country, is hardly practicable 

 at the present time. Egypt has been celebrated by Sonnini and other travellers, for superb 

 Jacks of the Arabian breed, which probably has been often improved by those introduced 

 b f the pilgrims from Mecca. I apprehend no great difficulty in obtaining them from that 

 cjuntry. There is, however, no question but the Maltese Jacks are of the Arabian race, 

 more or less degenerated. The most of those brought to this country that I have seen, were 

 selected on account of their size, and had been used to the draught. I should recommend 

 the selection of those that are esteemed most suitable for the saddle, as likely to possess 

 greater purity of blood. A Jack of this kind was, a number of years since, imported from 

 Gibraltar, that had been selected by a British officer at Malta ; and very much resembled the 

 Knight of Malta, described by Mr. Custis. I found, upon a careful examination, that he 

 differed but little from the description I had heard and read of the true Arabian race ; indeed 

 I could discover some prominent points and marks, that agreed with those found, by Profes- 

 sor Pallas, to belong to the Hemionus or wild mule of Mongalia. From this Jack I have 

 bred a stock, out of a large Spanish Jennet of the Andalusian breed, that corresponds very 

 minutely with Mr. Custis's description of Compound, bred by General Washington, and 

 also a mule that now, not three years old, stands fifteen hands, and has other points of great 

 promise. 



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My attention has been but lately directed to breeding mules ; and those intended only for 

 my own use. The system adopted is to halter them at four months, and have the males 

 emasculated before six months old ; which has great influence on their future conduct, and 

 is attended with much less hazard and trouble, than if delayed until they are one or two 

 years old, as is the general practice. If they are treated gently, and fed occasionally out of 

 the hand, with corn, potatoes, &c., they soon become attached ; and when they find that 

 to every man's hand is not against them," will have no propensity to direct their heels against 

 him, and soon forget they have the power. In winter they should be tied up in separate 

 stalls, and often rubbed down. By such treatment there is not more danger of having a 

 Ticious mule than a vicious horse and I am decidedly of opinion, that a high-spirited mule 

 BO managed, and well broke, will not jeopard the lives or limbs of men, women, or children 

 by any means so much as a high-spirited horse, however well he may have been trained. 



The longevity of the mule has become so proverbial, that a purchaser seldom inquiies 

 his age. Pliny gives an account of one, taken from Grecian history, that was eighty years 

 old ; and though past labour, followed others that were carrying materials to build the temple 

 of Minerva at Athens, and seemed to wish to assist them ; which so pleased the people, that 

 tney ordered he should have free egress to the grain market. Dr. Rees mentions two that 

 were seventy years old in England. I saw, myself, in the West Indies, a mule perform his 

 task in a cane mill, that his owner assured me was forty years old. I now own a mare 

 mule twenty-Jive years old, that I have had in constant work twenty-one years, and can discover 

 no diminution in her powers ; she has within a year past often taken upwards of a ton 

 orei,rht in a ^agon to Bosto'i, a distance of more than five miles. A gentleman in my 

 teighbourhnod has owned a very large mule about fourteen years, that cannot be Jess tha 



