CHAPTER XT. 



THE AMERICAN MULE. 



The history of the mule in the United States is one which 

 could advantageously be studied by the inhabitants of this 

 country. At the latter part of the last century the mule 

 was as little appreciated in America as it is in England 

 at the present time. But little trouble^ forethought or 

 intelKgence was brought to bear on the breeding of this 

 useful animal, and the result was that but poor specimens 

 were produced. But labour at that time was of such 

 high value in the sparsely populated country, that the 

 advantages of the mule as a beast of draught as well as 

 burden were soon perceived, and great care was taken in 

 breeding the mule from a better class of jack, and from 

 superior well-bred mares. 



It is remarkable that one of the first persons to advocate 

 the employment of mules in the United Soates was General 

 \^'ashington. By the kindness of Sir Walter Gilbey, we 

 are enabled to reproduce an advertisement printed by 

 ATashington in a Philadelphia paper for 1786, before his 

 election to the presidency. It appears that the King of 

 Spain presented him ^ath a large Spanish jack, which by 

 Washington was named Royal Gift. His advertisement 

 reads as follows : 



" EoTAL Gift. — A Jack Ass of the first race ia the kingdom 

 of Spain will cover mares and jennies (the asses) at Mount 

 Vernon the ensuing spring. The first for ten, the latter for 



