20 
MULES FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES. 
Mr. Pomeroy, who “ used them near Boston for 
30 years, and to such an extent as to have had 
more labor performed by them probably than any 
person in New England,” says :— 
“ I am convinced the small breed of mules will 
consume less in proportion to the labor they are 
capable of performing than the larger race, but I 
shall confine myself to the latter in my comparison, 
such as stand 14^ to 16 hands, and are capable of 
performing any work a horse is usually put to. 
From repeated experiments, I found that three 
mules of this description, which were constantly 
at work, consumed about the same quantity of 
hay, and only one fourth the provender which 
was given to two middling size coach-horses, only 
moderately worked. I am satisfied a large sized 
mule will not consume more than three fifths to 
two thirds the food to keep him in good order, that 
will be necessary for a horse performing the same 
labor. The expenses of shoeing a mule the year 
round, does not exceed one third that of the horse, 
his hoofs being harder, more horny, and so slow 
in their growth, that shoes require no removal, 
and hold on till worn out; and the wear from the 
lightness of the animal is much less. 
“ Mules have been lost by feeding on cut straw, 
and corn meal; in no other instance have I known 
disease in them, except by inflammation of the in¬ 
testines, caused by the grossest exposure to cold 
and wet, and excessive drinking cold water, after 
severe labor, and while in a high state of perspira¬ 
tion. It is not improbable a farmer may work the 
same team of mules for 20 years without having 
a farrier’s bill presented to him. 
“In my experience of 30 years, I have never 
found but one mule inclined to be vicious, and he 
might have been easily subdued while young. I 
have always found them truer pullers -and quicker 
travellers, with a load, than horses. Their vision 
and hearing are much more accurate. I have used 
them in my family carriage, in a gig, and under 
the saddle; and have never known one to start or 
run from any object or noise, a fault in the horse 
that continually causes the maiming and death of 
numerous human beings. The mule is more 
steady in his draught, and less likely to waste his 
strength than the horse, hence more suitable to 
work with oxen, and as he walks faster, will 
habituate them to a faster gait. In plowing among 
crops, his feet being small and following each 
other so much more in a line, he seldom treads 
down the ridges or crops. The facility of instruct¬ 
ing him to obey implicitly the voice of the driver 
is astonishing. The best plowed tillage land I 
ever saw, I have had performed by two mules 
tandem , without lines or driver. The mule is ca¬ 
pable of enduring labor in a temperature of heat 
that would be destructive to a horse. Although 
a large mule will consume something over one 
half the food of a horse, yet the saving in shoeing, 
farrying, and insurance against diseases and acci¬ 
dents, will amount to at least one half. In addi¬ 
tion, the owner may rely with tolerable certainty 
on the continuance of his mule capital for 30 years; 
whereas the horse owner must, at the end of 15 
years, look to his crops, his acres, or a bank for 
the renewal of his. 
“ The longevity of a mule is so proverbial, that 
a purchaser seldom inquires his age. Pliny men¬ 
tions one SO years old; and Dr. Rees, two in Eng¬ 
land that reached the age of 70. I saw one per¬ 
forming his labor in a cane-mill in the West Indies, 
which the owner assured me was 40 years old. 
I have now a mare-mule 25 years old, that I have 
had in constant work for 21 years. She has often 
within a year taken a ton weight in a wagon to 
Boston, 5 miles, and manifests no diminution of 
her powers. A neighbor has one 2S years old, 
which he would not exchange for any horse in the 
country. One in Maryland, 35 years old, is now 
as capable of labor as at any former period.” 
Mr. Hood of Maryland, in the American Farm¬ 
er, Yol. XII., estimates the annual expense of a 
horse for 12 months, at $44.00, and that of a mule 
at $22.00, just half price, and his working age at 
more than twice that of the horse, and^hat too 
after 30 years’ experience in keeping both. 
A correspondent of the Baltimore Patriot, asserts 
that “ Col. John E. Howard had a pair of mules 
that worked 30 years, after which they were sold 
to a carter in the city, and performed hardjDervice 
for several years longer. Many mules 25 years 
old, and now in this country, perform well. Many 
have been at hard work for 12 or 15 years, and 
would now sell for $100 each. They are not sub¬ 
ject to the colt’s ailments, the glanders, heaves, 
yellow water, and colic, like horses; and seldom 
are afflicted with spavin, ring-bones, or bots, and 
they will not founder.” 
Mr. Skinner mentions riding with General Shel¬ 
by, of Kentucky, after a pair of his mules in har¬ 
ness, eight miles within the hour, without the use 
of whip. General Shelby says “ he has known 
mules to travel 10 miles within the hour in light 
harness, and has himself driven a pair 40 miles in 
six hours, stopping an hour by the way.” 
Mr. Nathaniel Hart, Jr., of Kentucky, informs 
me, that he purchased for John F. Preston, Esq., 
brother of Mr. Senator Preston of South Carolina, 
four match mules from Major Shelhy of Lexington, 
for $1,000. They were of course very superior 
animals, and made elegant coach-horses. Mr. 
Preston has driven these mules 80 miles in a sin¬ 
gle day without injury; and they proved a first- 
rate team for many years. 
Mr. Ellicott of the Patuxent Furnaces, says: 
“ Out of about 100 mules at the works, we have 
not lost on an average one in two years. Bleeding 
at the mouth will cure them of nearly every dis¬ 
ease, and by being turned out on pasture, they 
will recover from almost every accident. I do not 
recollect we have ever had a wind-broken one. 
They are scarcely ever defective in the hoof, and 
though kept shod, it is not as important as with 
the horse. Their skin is tougher than that of a 
horse, consequently, they are not as much worried 
by flies, nor do they suffer so much with the heat 
of summer.” 
To the foregoing testimony I may add that of 
the late Judge Hinckley of Northampton, Massa¬ 
chusetts ; a shrewd and close observer through a 
long life, reaching to 84 years. He bred mules at 
an early day, and always kept a team of them for 
his farm work, much preferring them to horses for 
