MULE-BREEDING. 181 



or Native States. A few years ago some persons, interested in 

 horse-breeding, became much alarmed at the number of mares that 

 were being put to the donkey in the north of India, and raised a 

 great clamour on the subject. They proved by statistics that, at the 

 present rate of progress, in a given number of years, there would be 

 no mares left to breed horses from at all. They seemed, however, not 

 to realize the fact that, in Italy, France, Spain, South America and 

 Persia, where mule-breeding has been carried on for many centuries, 

 it has not up to date been shown to have had any appreciable effect 

 on the horse-supply of those countries. Furthermore, mare-owners 

 take to the industry because the supply of mules is not equal to the 

 demand ; they therefore command a good price. But when the 

 supply equals or exceeds the demand the value of the animal will o- 



to 



down, and the breeders, finding that it does not pay so well, will them- 

 selves withdraw from the trade. Again, should the number of mares 

 be decreased appreciably their price will rise. The enhanced value 

 of the dam will therefore act as a check on her being used to produce 

 hybrids, and at the same time encourage people to breed ponies to 

 meet the demand. The whole question depends on ordinary commer- 

 cial laws, and may be safely allowed to rest there. It must be 

 remembered, too, that there are large tracts of country in India quite 

 unsuited to breed anything better than a small pony, but which are 

 admirably adapted to produce donkeys and mules. 

 DONKEY-STALLIONS. 

 13. A good donkey-stallion should stand about 12'2 to 12*3. 

 He should have good girth and shank measurements ; be deep, but not 

 too round in the barrel ; well ribbed up ; not too much droop in the 

 quarters, and his hocks should not be very much away from him nor 

 sickle. A certain amount of straightness of shoulder may be over- 

 looked. Above all things for pack work, a leggy sire should be 

 avoided. All round, the Italian donkey best meets these require- 

 ments, but, as I have already said, his high price is much against him. 

 It has been proposed, in my opinion very wisely, to allot a certain 

 number of these jacks every year to donkey-breeding only, so as to 

 secure for the future a supply of country-bred sires ; but I fear that 

 present financial difficulties stand in the way of its adoption to any 

 great extent. We have a certain number of donkeys even now 



