TO ENGLISH NEEDS. 165 



Mules have already been tried in this 

 coimtry for heayy draught, and have, I 

 believe, in every instance, given satisfaction. 

 Many years ago one of our great brcAA'^ers — 

 Messrs. Allsopp, if I remember rightly — 

 used a team of immense animals, of about 

 seventeen hands, for dray work ; and at 

 Badminton teams of big mules have long 

 been employed in farm and general cart 

 work ; while in Hampshire, Mr. Scott, of 

 Eotherfield, has also bred a number of 

 large mules from English cart mares Avith 

 distinct success. The only hindrance Avhich 

 suggests itself to the general introduction 

 of this useful hybrid into this country is 

 the matter of expense, the big mule being 

 at present more costly to buy than the 

 average cart horse. Farmers, at any rate, 

 have very little spare capital at the present 

 time available for experimental purposes, 

 but if there once existed mule-breeding 

 establishments in this country, I believe 



