G93 



change hands as often as a dozen tinries 

 before they are ready for market. Year- 

 lings will average, I suppose, about $100, 

 owing in a great extent, however, to Iheir 

 quality. At two years' old they will bring 

 $125 or $130, if they are average select 

 lots, more. A neighbor of mine is feed- 

 ing a lot of one hundred, for "which I am 

 told he has refused $175 around. But 

 this is an extra -lot, no doubt the best lot 

 in Kentucky. The same gentleman gave 

 a short time ago $300 for a two year old 

 to W'Ork to his sulky, and is working to his 

 farm four, for which I am told he paid 

 $200 each. Another gentleman of this 

 county sold a short time ago, ,a two year 

 old mare mule for $400. But these are 

 fancy prices for fancy mules. There is a 

 small and inferior class of animals that is 

 considered a sort of dead heads, and which 

 the feeder won't buy if offered alone, and 

 these are ones usually found in service on 

 the farms. 



Until forced by the scarcity and high 

 price of horses, the Kentuckians would 

 not use mules. But within the last few 

 years they have become common on the 

 farm, pulling the plough and wagon, and 

 occasionally a clever pair is seen in the 

 carriage, some of them are pretty glib 

 goers for an hour or two, when they get 

 lazy and they will then take the lash ''like 



Persons w^ho have tried them on their 

 farms are better pleased with them they 

 say, than they thought they would be. — 

 They never get sick, rarely ever get lame, 

 will do as much w^ork as a hoise which 

 will cost twice as much money, and at the 

 same time subsist on less and more infe- 

 rior food, for a mule will work very well 

 on wheat straw and corn shucks, whereas 

 the horse must have grain as well as a 

 good allowance of long food. They are 

 better for our servants to handle, as they 

 can stand neglect and violent treatment 

 better than the horse, and a blemish, such 

 as the loss of an eye does not impair his 

 value as much as that of the horse. ' 



As to their temperament and peculiari- 

 ties it is useless to say much, <^he world 

 knows pretty much what that is. He is 

 not so apt to run as the horse but more apt 

 to kick. He is fond of company, is deci- 

 dedl} gregarious, and his attachments are 

 quite as strong when once formed as those 

 of the horse. It is almost impossible to 



confine one away from an associate. He 

 will climb over the fence if practicable 

 like a dog, or if more practicable creep 

 through a crack, or worm himself under it 

 like a pig. An acquaintance of mine told 

 me that he was once in the habit of work- 

 ing a pair together, but on one occasion 

 wishing to use but one, he confined the 

 other in a close stable, where as he thought, 

 he would be compelled to remain. But on 

 his return, he found to his astonishment, 

 that th(^ perverse beast had ascended into 

 the hay loft, which enterj)rising feat it had 

 accomplished by first getting into the 

 trough, thence through the hole left for 

 throwing the hay into the manger. The 

 circumstance forcibly reminded him of the 

 fact that the 



"Best laid schemes of mice and men 

 Aft gang aglee."' 



And at the same time convinced him 

 that if perseverance will not overcome all 

 things, it will at least surmount a great 

 many seemingly unsurmountable obsta- 

 cles. B. MUNROE, 



Woodford County, Ky. 



A Farmer's Library. 



Dr. Johnson being once asked whom he 

 deemed the most miserable, replied, " The 

 man who cannot entertain himself with a, 

 book on a rainy day." Were the question put, 

 What farmers are likely to make the most 

 rapid progress and improvement in husband- 

 ry? the answer would be, other things being 

 equal, those who read most on the subject of 

 their vocation. A man 'who reads little, no 

 matter what his vocation is, will be likely to 

 think little, and act chiefly with reference to 

 tradition received from former generations, or 

 else in imitation of what is going on about him. 

 There is always hope of a man who loves 

 reading, study and reflection. Not all who 

 buy books liberally, and patronize the press 

 generously, are readers. There is a class of 

 fancy book buyers, who purchase freely and 

 expensively, but who read little and profit 

 nothing from the stores of knowledge treasur- 

 ed up in their libraries. Fine collections of 

 books nicely arranged on shelves may beget 

 desires of covetousness, but can impart little 

 or nothing, only as they are read, studied, and 

 referred to. 



Every farmer, whether rich or poor, learned 

 or unlearned, should liave a collection of books 

 on agriculture, horticulture, and the several 

 subjects more or less intimately connected with 

 the objects of his special pursuit. A few 

 good books, costing but little, should 

 beginning of the fiinnor's li1)rary. 



