^0 THE MULE. 



I have, singular as it may seem, known mules that 

 have been spavined, curbed, and ringboned, and yet 

 have been worked for years without exhibiting lame- 

 ness. 



Avoid spotted, or dapple mules ; they are the very 

 poorest animal you can get. They cannot stand hard 

 work, and once they get diseased and begin to lose 

 strength, there is no saving them. The Mexicans call 

 them pintos, or painted mules. We call them calico 

 Arabians or Chickasaws. They have generally bad eyes, 

 which get very sore during the heat and dust of summer, 

 when many of them go blind. Many of the snow- 

 white mules are of the same description, and about as 

 useless. Mules with the white muzzle, or, as some term 

 it, white-nore white, and with white rings round the 

 eyes, are also of but little account as work mules. 

 They can stand no hardship of any kind. Govern- 

 ment, at least, should never purchase them. In pur- 

 chasing mules, you must look well to the age, form, 

 height, eyes, size of bone and muscle, and disposition ; 

 for these are of more importance than his color. Get 

 these right and you will have a good animal. 



If any gentleman wants to purchase a mule for the 

 saddle, let him get one bred closer after the mare than 

 the jack. They are more docile, handle easier, and 

 are more tractable, and w^ill do what you want with, 

 less trouble than the other. If possible, also, get 

 mare mules ; they are much more safe and trusty under 

 the saddle, and less liable to get stubborn. They are 

 also better than a horse mule for team purposes. In 

 short, if I were purchasing mules for myself, I would 



