120 The House IrvDusTuy in JSIkw \ (jick State 



old they may be broken. They should be carefully harnessed, 

 without frightning them, and hitched to a strong wagon, when 

 they will generally move off without much difficulty. Thereafter 

 they may do light work until they are four years old, when they 

 may be put to labor. Their dentition is similar to that of the 

 horse, and the rule for telling their ages is identical with advice 

 for that animal. 



BREEDING 



Mules being hybrids may be bred from mares not suitable for 

 breeding horses, as mules are not so liable to take on the defects 

 of both sire and dam, such as ring bone, spavins, and many other 

 hereditary defects. Any young man starting in the farming busi- 

 ness can soon have a good team by using a jack for the sire on 

 such dams as are not fitted for breeding horses, on account of 

 the latter's susceptibility to inherit certain defects, I want to 

 emphasize this point : the better the dam, the better the mule. 

 This holds as good in mule breeding as in that of cattle. 



It is said that the mule does not need as much care as the 

 horse. That may be true ; but they do respond to good treatment 

 as well as the horse, and will show it quicker and prove their 

 appreciation by their looks and actions. 



Mules will thrive on coarser fodder than the horse, such as 

 browsing of weeds, berry briars, and many things found in 

 pasture that even cattle or horses will not tt)uch. A good roll 

 every day is as necessary as feed or water, and, when the day's 

 work is done, they want their freedom for a few minutes in a 

 yard where they lie do\\^i and roll and shake themselves. Corn 

 and whole oats make an ideal feed for the mule. Mule colts 

 should be weaned from the mare the same as horse colts, at four 

 or five months of age. 



CASTRATION 



Castrating of mules should be done at an early age; one year 

 old is a good time, as they grow up more even fore and hind. It 

 is all the better if done when the colt is running with the mare. 

 If everything is visible there is no more risk with the mule colt 

 than with the horse, but the same precautions should be taken. 



