432 THE ASS AND THE MULE. 



From the Farmer^s Register, Vol. 2, page 3. 



A BREEDING MULE. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Spring Hill, Nansemond County (Va.,) May 2d, 1834. 

 A Circumstance has occurred on my plantation, which seems to be against the general 

 principles of nature. On the 23d of April, 1834, a female mule of mine had a colt, never 

 suspected by me, until I saw its birth. I had worked her hard all last year, upon the farm, 

 and on the rail-road, through the winter, hauling marl, and all the month of March, iiauling 

 loo's from a distance of two miles, si-x loads a-day, and thirty logs each load, making twenty- 

 four miles each day. She was at work all April, hauling out manure, until the 23d. On 

 that day I had gone, a little before night, from the labours of the day, owing to one of my 

 family being sick ; and about 5 o'clock in the evening, the boy that drove the mule, came 

 running to the house, saying that Jenny (for that was her name) had a colt. I went out, 

 and in a few minutes thereafter, the thing (for I know not what to call it,) was delivered, 

 and is doing well. I never suspected the mother's being with foal, because I thought it con- 

 trary to nature, though I had for four or six weeks observed that her belly was enlarged, and 

 so much so, that the cart had to be altered, as it rubbed her. She showed no other signs — 

 so I did not suspect it. She has little or no bag, though I believe she gives a plenty of suck, 

 as her child is now getting fat. At first it was very poor. Now you will ask what is the 

 father of it ? I cannot say — but believe, a colt of mine, now three years old. He ran out on 

 Sundays, with the mules, and the black boy tells me that there was cause for such an effect. 

 So it is, the mule has a colt, and it is exactly like the young stallion. If this is a matter of 

 curiosity, you may give publicity to it, under my name. Hundreds can prove the fact, and 

 several can testify that they were present at the birth. 



John Thompson Kilby. 



P S. The mother certainly is a mule, for she was foaled mine, and is now ten years old. 



From the Farmer^s Register, Vol. 2, page 389. 



DEATH OF THE MULE'S COLT. 



To the Editor of the Farmer's Register. 



Nansemond, 22d October, 1834. 

 As the birth of the phenomenon, my mule-cnlt, was recorded in your Register, so I will 

 with your permission, record his death, that the learned may speculate upon it. He was 

 born, as I informed you, and as will he seen in your Register of May or June, 1834, on the 

 23d of April, 1834; and died on the 20th of October, 1834, at night. The particulars are as 

 follows : on Friday evening late, I was informed that the mule-colt was sick : upon examin- 

 ing him, I thought he had the staggers. He was freely bled, and put in a lot, and went to 

 eating fodder ; it was now dark, and I determined that in the morning I would commence 

 blistering, purging, and the use of injections, which I have never known to fail if taken in 

 lime. But in the morning he had the lockjaw, and so nothing could be done effectually for 

 him, and he died on the Monday night following. He was weaned, and running in a good 

 pasture with a horse-colt, also just weaned, which is doing well. Now was it the staggers, or 

 what disease? Or was ever a colt delivered of a mule known to live ? I should have been 

 much pleased to raise it, and to have known if it could continue its species. 



John T. Kilbv. 



From the Farmer^s Register, Vol. 2, page 440. 



ANOTHER COLT FROM A MULE. 



To the Editor of the Farmer's Register. 



Spring Hill, Nansemond County, Va., 17th September, 1835. 

 Permit mc to record in your Register, the birth of a second mule colt of mine, on the 13th 

 of August, 1835. The same mule brought a fine female colt, jet black, save a star in its 

 forehead, and one foot white. It partakes, as did the other, more of the horse than of the 

 mule, and is a much finer colt. It can be seen in my pasture by any and every one. 



John T. Kilby. 



