52 THE MULE. 



moderate labour upon such unexpensive keep. But his performances would be of 

 far greater account, if well fed with corn, and his size and ability to labour might 

 be greatly increased, were it thought worth while to improve his breed : in oppo- 

 sition to which, it is urged that, to improve his breed would be to detract from 

 his utility, as after incurring nearly the expence of a horse, you would at last, 

 obtain but an Ass. 



The hybrid offspring of the union between the Horse and Ass, called the MULE, 

 partakes in degree, of the size, and in part, of the qualities of the horse ; in a 

 still greater degree, of those of the Ass. The Southern Mule, as the Ass, is 

 greatly superior. Surefootedness and ability of the mule for long journies, are 

 matters of old experience in all countries. Being of considerable size, they are 

 useful draught cattle, and twenty years ago, they were employed by certain 

 Brewers near London, in the Dray. At about that same period, we were informed 

 that, a person in Herts had acquired considerable property by breeding mules for 

 the West India Islands, where the English Mule was always preferred to any 

 other, even to that of Spain. Perhaps this person might have used a Southern 

 Stallion Ass in his Stud. The anomaly has occurred in various instances, of 

 mules propagating their kind ; in fact, the old position of the universal incapacity 

 of mules in that respect, has of late, lost ground. In breeding Mules, the Stallion 

 Ass is always chosen, on the principle that, the female should have ample room for 

 the growth and expansion of her progeny. 



