IDO MULES. 



farmer who substitutes mules for horses, will have 

 this portion of his animal labour performed, with the 

 expense of one spire of grass instead of two ; which 

 may be equal, so far, to making " two spires grow 

 where one grew before." For although a large sized 

 mule will consume somewhat more than half the food 

 necessary for the horse, as has been observed, yet if we 

 take into account the saving in expense of shoeing, 

 farriery, and insurance against diseases and accidents, 

 we may safely affirm, that a clear saving of one half 

 can be fully substantiated. But in addition to this, the 

 mule farmer may calculate, with tolerable certainty, 

 upon the continuation of his capital for thirty years : 

 whereas the horse farmer at the expiration oi fifteen 

 years, must look to his crops, to his acres, or a bank, 

 for the renewal of his — or perhaps, what is worse, he 

 must commence horse jockey at an early period. 



The intense interest with which the public mind is 

 at present occupied on the subject of canals now in 

 operation and progress, encourages me to offer the 

 mule as an important auxiliary in the economy of their 

 management ; as I trust, it will not be denied, that on 

 the cheapness of transportation on them, depends their 

 utiUty as well as profit to the stockholders. The mule 

 seems so peculiarly adapted for the labour on canals, 

 that compared with the horse, he may be considered 

 almost equal to a locomotive power engine. Among 

 the advantages we have enumerated respecting his use 

 in husbandry, the most of which are applicable to canal 

 labour, that of the much greater security from diseases 

 and casualties, which must necessarily require a great 

 number of supernumerary horses, to prevent interrup- 

 tion in the line of passage, is not the least important, 

 nor is the very trifling expense at which the mule can 

 be supported during the winter months, as he will bear 



