54 



SANTA 



ANITA 



R A N C H O 



Group of Jennets. 



JACKS AND JENNETS 



THE ancestry of the ass may be traced to the wild ass of Africa and Asia. 

 The males are usually termed "jacks," and the females "jennets." From 

 the wild ass various breeds of the domestic ass have descended, ranging 

 in size from those no larger than a Newfoundland dog to the size of a 

 draft horse. 



The introduction of the ass to America is said to date back to colonial 

 times, when, soon after the Revolutionary War, the King of Spain sent as a 

 gift to General George Washington a Spanish jack and jennet. In Washington's 

 time some early interest was shown in breeding mules, as a result of this gift. 

 Henry Clay is said to have imported some very fine Spanish jacks to Kentucky. 

 From the Clay stock Kentucky obtained the start which has resulted in such 

 fame for that state in mule breeding. One of the first imported jacks taken to 

 Tennessee was imported about 1840, and was taken to Maury County by a man 

 named Thomas. About 1867 or 1868 Messrs. Frankhn and Craig, of Sumner 

 County, Tennessee, imported some Catalonian jacks. In 1882 some Adalusian 

 jacks were imported to Kentucky from southern Spain, and during the same 

 year Leonard Brothers, of Missouri, made a similar importation. Many im- 



