BREEDS OF HORSES 73 



The Majorca is the largest of the imported jacks, the heaviest in 

 weight, bone, head, and ear, and frequently grows to 16 hands. 

 These are raised in the rich island of Majorca in the Mediterranean 

 Sea. While they excel in weight and size, they lack in style, finish, 

 and action. The Italian is the smallest of all the imported jacks, 

 being usually from 13 to 14 hands high, but having good foot, bone, 

 and weight, and some of them make good breeders. The Poitou is 

 the latest importation of the jack, and is little known in the United 

 States. He is imported from France, and is reported to be the sire 

 of some of the finest mules in his native land. These jacks have 

 long hair about the neck, ears, and legs, and are in some respects to 

 the jack race what the Clydesdale is to other horses. He is heavy 

 set, has good foot and bone, fine head and ear, and of good size, 

 being about 15 hands high. 



The native jack, as a class, is heavier in body, having a larger 

 bone and foot than the imported, and shows in his entire make-up 

 the result of the limestone soil and grasses common in this country. 

 He is of all colors, having descended from all the breeds of imported 

 jacks. But the breeders of this country, seeing the fancy of their 

 customers for the black jack with light points, have discarded all 

 other colors in selecting their jacks to breed to jennets, and the con- 

 sequence is that a large proportion of the jacks in the stud now, for 

 mares, are of this color. 



The native jack, being acclimated and to the manor born, seems 

 to give better satisfaction to breeders of mules than any other kind. 

 From observation and experience it is believed that our native jacks, 

 with good imported crosses behind them, will sire the mules best 

 suited to the wants of those who use them in this country, and will 

 supply the market with what is desired by the dealers. The colts 

 by this class of jacks are stronger in make-up, having better body, 

 with more length, larger head and ear, more foot and bone, com- 

 bined with style equal to the colts of the imported jacks. 



While many fine mules are sired by imported jacks, this is not 

 to be understood as meaning that imported jacks do not get good 

 foals, yet, taken as a class, we think that the mule by the native jack 

 is superior to any other class. This conclusion is borne out by an 

 experience and observation of some years, and by many of the best 

 breeders and dealers in the United States. 



The Kind of Mare to Breed From. As the mule partakes very 

 largely in its body and shape of its mother, it is necessary that care 

 should be taken in selecting the dam. Many suppose that when a 

 mare becomes diseased and unfit for breeding to the horse then she 

 is fit to breed for mules. This is a sad mistake, for a good, growing, 

 sound colt must have good, sound sire and dam. 



The jack may be ever so good, yet the result will be a disap- 

 pointment unless the mare is good, sound, and properly built for 

 breeding. First, she should be sound and of good color; black, bay, 

 brown, or chestnut is preferred. Her good color is needed to help to 

 give the foals proper color, and this is a matter of no small impor- 

 tance, as we shall see further on. 



