254 [AsSEMBLl 



Professor Mapes proposed as the next subjectj The uses of mules 

 in farming. 



Adopted. And the club adjourned to the next regular day, 

 the first Tuesday in June. ^ 



H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



American Institute, ) 



Farmers^ Club, June 1st, 1853. ^ 



Judge Van Wyck in the chair. Henry Meigs, Secretary. 



Mr. D. J. Browne presenteclJoan de Cuba; Ortus Sanitatus. Herbs, plants, animals, rep- 

 tiles, birds, fishes, &c. Folio. Mentz. 1485. 



This ancient treatise is in excellent preservation ; abounds in 

 strong wood cuts. On the subject of mules and asies, he says that 

 the ass is a vile, deformed and despicable animal, with a big head, 

 long, broad ears, and a starved lean body, which cannot be any 

 how made fat. On the shoulder he bears the sign of the cross. 

 He is an animal hard to handle, hates a load, and is more brutal 

 and unreasonable than any other beast. He is slow and lazy, but 

 patient and good at a very difficult road. He eats thistles and 

 thorns ; being cold uatured himself he dislikes cold. He is.there- 

 fore not found in Scotia (Scotland) and the neighboring countries, 

 nor in the equinoctial regions. The female carries her young 

 a whole year; her colt is rather • pretty while young, but as it 

 grows older, becomes more and more torpid (torpior). The ass 

 has very thick black blood, muddy like that of an ox. He and 

 all other animals which have big heads, are more timid than other 

 animals ; he will eat thorny plants while soft ones are about him ; 

 he is a stolid, lazy, luxurious animal. Having the cross on his 

 shoulders he is weakest there, but the stronger in his loins. His 

 braying is horrible; he knows the voice of an ox; he has been 

 accustomed to hear, and remembers a road which he has frequent- 

 ly travelled. Ass's milk yields but liitle butter, but is good for a 

 cough, and for spitting blood, and dropsy. Esculapius recom- 

 mended ass's blood with wine for quotidian fevers, three or four 

 drops of it in a dose. 



