THE ASS 185 



The Poitou jack is a native of France, where for many centu- 

 ries he has been bred, especially in the province of Poitou, border- 

 ing on the Bay of Biscay. Here, in the departments of Vendee 

 and Deux- Sevres, the Poitou ass is bred in his greatest perfection. 

 This is the most powerful and drafty of the several breeds of 

 asses and averages about 15^- hands high, but frequently exceeds 

 this height. In general the Poitou may be described as having 

 an unusually big head, with large, long ears ; small mouth and 

 nostrils ; thick, short neck ; broad chest ; good-sized, long body ; 

 quarters rather spare ; forearm long but not thick, but knees and 

 joints large ; hocks as big as those of a heavy draft horse ; bone 

 large, many measuring nine inches around below the knee, but 

 legs very short and superior ; feet large. The prevailing color is 

 black with light points. Grays occur occasionally but are not 

 regarded with favor and are not eligible to registry in the French 

 jack studbook. Much is said about the hairy development of the 

 Poitou jack. He is covered with a profuse growth of long, silky 

 hair, which adorns the ears, neck, and legs. The tail, which is 

 rather short, is quite devoid of hair excepting at its lower part. 

 In his native home, when in service, the Poitou jack is said to be 

 a very unattractive beast, for he is never groomed or trimmed. 

 In Poitou these jacks are bred to a very large, drafty, powerful 

 type of mare, native to that region, from which are produced big 

 mules of the most valuable kind. Thus far jacks of this breed 

 have not been brought to America to any great extent, but they 

 are generally regarded with favor wherever introduced. 



The American jack is the result of the amalgamation of the 

 blood of the different breeds brought to America from Europe 

 since the days of Washington. Professors Anderson and Hooper 

 of Kentucky have contributed much valuable information relative 

 to the development and characteristics of this breed. 1 Especial 

 emphasis is placed on the early influences of the Maltese jack 

 Warrior, owned by Henry Clay, and the Catalonian jack Mammoth, 

 imported to South Carolina in 1819 and soon after taken to 

 Kentucky, where he was used in service for eight years. 2 The 



1 W. S. Anderson and J. J. Hooper, "American Jack Stock and Mule Pro- 

 duction," Bulletin 212, Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 

 2 American Breeder, January 20, 1916. 



