186 THE PEACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



"With us, the ass is only too often utterly neglected, and left 

 in the hands of those who brutally maltreat him, by semi-star- 

 vation, beating, over-working, and insanitary maintenance. It 

 can scarcely be matter for surprise, then, that the creature is 

 dwarfed and decrepit, spiritless, sulky and resistive — nay, 

 vicious, and proverbially stupid ; when, under opposite condi- 

 tions, he is intelligent, and a most willing and useful servant of 

 man. Even in the abject state of slavery and neglect in 

 which we generally behold him, he renders good service in his 

 way, and probably no animal does more work on so little 

 food. 



In some countries the flesh of the ass is eaten ; and the asses' 

 milk, holding a kind of middle place between that of woman 

 and the mare (equine) — being rich in sugar, and containing 

 less butter and caseine — has long been extolled for its medicinal 

 properties, especially in chronic disease of the lungs and the 

 digestive organs. 



In agriculture, and in several branches of manufacture and 

 commerce, the ass might be profitably utilised when circum- 

 stances permit or require his special qualities to be brought 

 into play — qualities which are not found in the horse or pony. 



Asses are used more in the East for carrying loads or 

 packs than in this country, or even in Europe ; though in hilly 

 countries where the vine is cultivated, his special aptitudes 

 render him particularly useful in carrying the manure up the 

 narrow, rugged paths, and bearing the grapes down to the 

 homesteads during the vintage. For the saddle he is also 

 much more employed in the East than in Europe ; in Egypt 

 and Syria he is in common request for this purpose, and the 

 donkeys of Bagdad are celebrated for their good qualities as 

 riding animals. 



The load for a donkey to carry any considerable distance, 

 varies with the size and condition of the animal ; but the 

 maximum weight is usually fixed at about 100 pounds. 



