96 BREEDING AND REARING OF 



ported, and have been much sought after for jennet 

 purposes. Their bone is exceedingly large, with a 

 body to correspond. They are black and rarely have 

 that glossy color so admired in the Catalonians, but 

 those I have seen brought to this country will average 

 almost, if not quite, a hand taller than the latter. In 

 Europe they rank about the same, both being re- 

 garded as superior to the Andalusian. We have im- 

 ported all three, and I judge of their rank by their 

 price in Spain. 



Majorca, the largest of the Balearic group of 

 islands, and the one on which these jacks are prin- 

 cipally found, is the richest and most productive part 

 of Spain. Although it is an island, I class it with 

 its continental mother, because of its proximity and 

 close communication, and because the jacks there 

 have fallen into the general category of Spanish. It 

 is necessary to irrigate the greater part of the island, 

 but the rich luxuriance of its grass and grain crops 

 gladdens the eye and cheers the heart. I think this 

 is a full explanation of the size of their jacks. This 

 leads me to believe that here in America, by means 

 of our generous system of feeding and unexcelled 

 pastures, and with careful and scientific breeding, we 

 can succeed in a few years in propagating a race of 

 jacks of whatever size and form desired, provided al- 

 ways that we commence with the proper foundation. 

 Majorca, Kentucky, and even Tennessee, illustrate 

 the fact that we can give them an increased size. The 

 poor and sterile plains of Algiers, Africa, have ex- 

 actly the opposite effect of our own rich and alluvial 

 soil. We imported a jennet from there a few years 

 ago, fully mature, and she was Uttle above nine hands 



