194 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



Mule-raising in the United States began in colonial times. 

 George Washington used a jack in stud at Mount Vernon for 

 mule-breeding, and his mules sold for upwards of $200 each. 

 The value of the mule as a draft animal was early recognized 

 by intelligent Southerners. In 1919 the leading mule-producing 

 states, based on the United States Department of Agriculture 

 estimates, were as follows : Texas, Missouri, Georgia, Mississippi, 

 Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, and Tennes- 

 see. Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee are noted for their 

 superior class of mules ; St. Louis is the most important mule 

 market in the world. 



The characteristics of the mule partake of both sire and dam. 

 There is the long ear, slender body, tufted or slightly haired 

 tail, small, slender foot, and braying voice of the ass. These 

 features seem to attach a peculiar character to this nonbreeding 

 farm animal. Mules vary greatly in size and quality, naturally, 

 due to their parentage. Other things being equal, a large mule 

 brings a higher price in the market than does a small one. Mules 

 are sorted and classed for various purposes. The larger, heavier 

 mules are used in city drayage and heavy draft work or in lumber 

 camps. A medium size is used on farms and in military service, 

 while the smaller grades find places in mines and elsewhere. 



The weight of the mule ranges between wide extremes, for the 

 diminutive burro of the mountains and the heavy draft mule are 

 of one great family. According to government estimates 1 the 

 mature mules on farms in the United States average 956 pounds, 

 the heaviest average weight (TIIO pounds) being reported from 

 Washington State, and the lightest (865 pounds) from Mississippi. 

 Anderson and Hooper 2 state that a draft mule of 1400 to 1500 

 pounds will do the work of a draft horse that weighs two or 

 three hundred, pounds more, and that excepting for exhibition or 

 advertising purposes the mule should not exceed 1500 pounds. 

 Emphasis, however, is placed on the production of draft mules, 

 small ones not commanding a price which pays for production. The 

 wise breeder, in the opinion of these Kentucky authorities, will plan 

 to breed mules of size and quality, averaging 1000 to 1 500 pounds. 



1 Monthly Crop Report, February, 1918. 



2 Bulletin 212, Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station, December, 1917. 



