200 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



m. Antiqaltyof the Hnle. 



Mules were used and much prized from a remote antiquity, and are 

 mentioned both in sacred and profane history. They were introduced 

 into the chariot races in the 70th Olympiad, or about 500 years before the 

 Christan era ; and in the time of the Romans, Q. Axius, a Roman Sena- 

 tor, paid, according to Pliny, 400,000 sesterces, or more than $13,000, 

 for a male ass, for the stud ; and he also states that the best female asses 

 were worth a like sum to breed sires, \7hen we compute the difference 

 in value between money then and now, the price was greater than that 

 now paid for the most celebrated racing and trotting horses. 

 IV. Breeding-Jacks. 



The best jacks now are those of Spanish origin. They are large, 

 strong-boned, long-bodied, and, of course, long-eared. The cut will give 

 a good representation of the Poitou ass, an animal similar to the Spanish 

 jack. The jack, whatever the breed, is sensitive to cold, and to the influ- 

 ence of storms, and, if not warmly housed in winter, soon becomes useless 

 and disabled, from rheumatic and other affections. Of the jacks imported 

 at an early day into America, as a present to General Washington, Mr. 

 Custis has written as follows : 



*'The Boyal Gift and Knight of Malta, were sent to General Wash- 

 ington about the year 1787 — the Gift with a jennet, a present from the 

 King of Spain ; and said to have been selected from the ro^^al stud. The 

 Knight^ I believe, was from the Marquis de Lafayette, and shipped from 

 Marseilles. The Gift was a huge and ill shapen jack, near sixteen hands 

 high, very large head, clumsy limbs and to all appearance little calcula- 

 ted for active servnce ; he was of a gray color, probably not young when 

 imported, and died at Mount Yernon but little valued for his mules, 

 which were unwieldy and dull. The Kniglit was of a moderate size, 

 clean limbed, great acti\'ity, the fire and ferocity of a tiger, a dark brown, 

 nearly black colour, white belly and muzzle ; could only be managed by one 

 groom, and that always at considerable personal risk. He lived to a great 

 age , and was so infirm towards the last as to require lifting. He died on my 

 estate in Kew Ken*-., in the state of Virginia, about 1802 or 1803. His 

 mules were all active, spirited, and ser\nceable ; and from stout mares 

 attained considerable size. 



*' General Washington bred a favorite jack called Compound, from the 

 cross of Spanish and Maltese — the KnigJit upon the imported Spanish 

 Jennet. This jack was a very superior animal ; very long bodied, well 

 set, with all the qualities of the Kniglit and the weight of the Span- 

 ish. He was the sire of some of the finest mules at Mount Vernon, and 

 died from accident. The General bred mules from the best of his coacb 



