THE ASS AND THE MULE. 425 



twenty-eight years old. He informed me a few days since, that he could not perceive the 

 least failure in him, and would not exchange him for any farm horse in the country. And 

 I am just informed, from a source entitled to perfect confidence, that a highly respectable 

 gentleman and eminent agriculturist, near Centreville, on the eastern shore of Maryland, 

 owns a mule that is thirty-Jive years old, as capable of labour as at any former period. 



From what has been stated respecting the longevity of the mule, I think it may be fairly 

 assumed, that lie does not deteriorate more rapidly after twenty years of age than the horse 

 after ten, allowing the same extent of work and similar treatment to each. The contrast in 

 the mule's freedom from malady or disease, compared with the horse, is not less striking. 

 Arthur Young, during his tour in Ireland, was informed that a gentleman had lost several 

 fine mules, by feeding them on wheat straw cut. And I have been informed that a mule- 

 dealer, in the western part of New- York, attributed the loss of a number of young mules, in 

 a severe winter, when his hay was exhausted, to feeding them exclusively on cut straw aod 

 Indian-corn meal. In no other instance have I ever heard or known of a mule being 

 attacked with any disorder or complaint, except two or three cases of inflammation of the 

 intestines, caused by gross neglect in permitting them to remain exposed to cold and wet, 

 when in a high state of perspiration after severe labour, and drinking to excess of cold 

 water. 



From his light frame and more cautious movements, the mule is less subject to casualties 

 than the horse. Indeed it is not improbable that a farmer may work the same team of mules 

 above twenty years, and never be presented with afarrier^s bill, or find it necessary to exer- 

 cise the art himself 



Sir John Sinclair, in his "Reports on the Agriculture of Scotland," remarks that "if the 

 whole period of a horse's labour be fifteen years, the first six may be equal in value to the 

 remaining nine; therefore a horse of ten years old, after working six years, may be worth 

 half his original value." He estimates the annual decline of a horse to be equal to fifty per 

 cent, on his price every six years, and supposes one out of twenty-five that are regularly 

 employed in agriculture, to die every year : for insurance against diseases and accidents. 

 He considers five acres of land, of medium quality, necessary for the maintenance of each 

 horse, and the annual expense, including harness, shoeing, farriery, insurance and decline in 

 value, allowing him to cost $230, to exceed that sum about Jive per cent., which is the only 

 difference between the estimate of tiiis illustrious and accurate agriculturist, and that of a 

 respectable committee of the Farmers' Society of Barwell district. South Carolina, who in a 

 report published in the Carlestou Courier, of the 23d of February last (1825,) state, that" the an- 

 nual expense of keeping a horse is equil to his value." The same committee also state, that, "at 

 four years old a horse will seldom sell for more than the expense of rearing him." That 

 " the superiority of the mule over the horse, iiad long been appreciated by some of their moat 

 judicious planters; that two mules could be raised at less ex|)ense than one horse ; that a mule 

 is fit for service at an earlier age, if of sufficient size ; will perform as much labour; and if 

 attended to when first put to work, his gait and habits may be formed to suit the taste of the 

 owner." This report may be considered a most valuable document, emanating, as it does, 

 from enlightened practical firmers and planters, in a section of our country where we may 

 suppose a horse can be m lintained cheaper than in Maryland, or any state farther north. 



I am convinced that the small breed of mules will consume less, in proportion to the labour 

 they arc capable of perfiirming, than the larger race; but I shall confine the comparison to 

 the latter — those that stand from fourteen and a half to rising of fifteen hands, and equal to 

 any labour that a horse is usu illy put to. From repeated experiments, in the course of two 

 winters, I found that three mules of this description, that were constantly at work, consumed 

 about the same quantity of hay, and only one-fourth the provender that was given to two 

 middling-sized coach horses, moderately worked. And from many years' attentive observa- 

 tion, I am led to believe that a larfre sized mule will not require more than from three-Jifths 

 to two-thirds the food, to keep him in good order, that will be necessary for a horse performing 

 the same extent of labour. Although a mule will work and endure on such mean and hard 

 fare, that a horse would soon give out upon, he has an equal relish for that which is good; 

 and it i'< strict economy to indulge him, tor no animal will pay better for extra keep by extra 

 work. But if by hard fare, or hard work, he is reduced to a skeleton, two or three weeks, 

 rest and good keeping will put him in flesh and high condition for labour. I have vi'itncssed 

 several such examples with subjects twenty years old ; so much cinnot be siid of a horse at 

 half that age. The expense of shoeing a mule, the year round, does not amount to more than 

 one-third that of a horse, his hoofs l)cing harder, more horny, and so slow in their growth, 

 that the shoes require no removal, and hold on till worn out ; and the wear, from the liglitnesa 

 of the animal, is much less. 



In answer to the charge generally prevalent against the mule, that he la '^ vicious, stubborn 

 and slou)" I can assert, that out of about twenty that have been employed on my estate at 

 JiOorent periods during a course of thirty years, and those picked up, chiefly on account of 

 b(i» 3d 



