ASSES AND MULES 

 Dk. C. W. Beodhead, Moxtkose, Pa. 



Farmers' Institute Lecturer 



THE :\rrLE akd hi>'ny defined 

 Mule 



The word "mule" signifies a hybrid;, 

 that is, the offspring of animals belonging 

 to the same genus/ and fertile one with the 

 other, but of different species. Mules or 

 hybrids are uS'Ually infertile one with 

 iiiothe]', and are always incapable of pro- 

 j);igat!ng the species indefinitely. As now 

 genera ly accepted, the word mule is used 

 to designate tlie offspring of the jack with 

 the mare. They have been known and bred 

 since the time of remotest history, having been always prized 

 for their longevity, sure-footedness, and ability to labor in ex- 

 treme heat. 



Hinny 

 The hiuny is the produce of a she-ass bred to a horse. They 

 were called hinnus by the Romans ; hence our name hinny. They 

 resemble the horse more than the ass, just as the nmle, sprung 

 from the mai-e and ass, resembles the male parent most. Hinnies 

 are handsome, round-bodied like the horse, but exceedingly small, 

 and are also said to be slow and more difficult to manage than 

 the mule proper. They have, therefore, seldom been bred, and 

 have generally passed into disuse. 



THE ASS 



The wild ass is said to have been indigenous to the Arabian 

 desert and the countries which formed the Babylonian Empire. 

 Those now found in the northern region of India, in the hill 

 country, are said to be so fleet that no horse can overtake them. 

 Four different races seem to be indicated in the Hebrew Scrip- 



