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MULEBREEDING.
In the United States and many other
Countries mulebreedipg is a most extensive
ftnd profitable industry. In 1889 America
sold 330,000 inules, of which number Mis
souri furnished 68,000, Kentucky 50,000,
Tennessee 56,000, and other States in pro
portion, the sales being greater in propor
tion to }he number bred than that of any
' other kinjt of live etocfe. Mules do not
inherit unsoundness from their dams - to
the same extent that the progeny of horses
do (remarks Mr. W. T. Kendall,
M.R.C.V.S., Victoria); they are more easi
ly reared, and are fit for work at an earlier \
age than horses. They are more suitable for
farm work, packing, &c., and hare a much
higher value for export than all but a few >
special lines of horses. Mares unsuitable
for horsebreeding would breed good, sound, I
marketable mules. I do not wieli it to ]
be inferred that it is desirable to use only j
unsound or rejected mares, but to point j
out thai many defects that are transmitted j
to horse progeny are not so transmitted j
to the mule, and, what is still more import- j
ant, any delect that a mule may have goes ]
no farther, as they do not propagate. It
must be quite self-evident that the better
the dam the better the mule, and I am
quite confident that when farmers find
out the real value of the mule soma
will prefer breeding biro from good mares
to in lining the risk of breeding unmaike'
able horses. The cost of breeding a mule
is about half that of a horse. He will
live and thrive where a horse would starve.
He is less liable to accident or disease, will
uork at an earlier age than a horse, and
last three times as long. Three working
mules can be kept at the same cost as two
draught horses. They can drag as heavy a
load, work longer hours, and if tired a feed
and a night's rest make them as fresh as
ever. There are two kinds or classes of
mule, viz.. one tlie produce of the male
ass, or jack, and the mare; and the other
the offspring of the stallion and female ass,
or jennet. The cross between the jack
and the mare is properly called the mule,
while the other, the produce of the stal
lion and jennet, is designated a hiuny. The
mule is the more valuable animal of the
two, having more size, style, finish, boue,
and, in fact, all tlie requisites which make
that animal so much prized as a useful bur
den-bearing animal. The liinny is small
in size, and is wanting in the qualites re
quisite to a great draught animal. This
hybrid is not supposed to breed, as no In
stance is known to us in which a stallion
mule lias been prolific, although he seems
to be physically perfect. There are in
stances on record where the female has
produced a foal, but these are rave. The
nude partakes of the several characteristics
of both its parent?, having the head, ear,
foot, and bone of the jack, while in height
and body it follows the inai'e. It lias the
voice of neither, but is between the two,
and more nearly resembles the iack. It
possesses tlie^Jntience. endurance, and sure
foot edn ess of (he jack, and the vigour, cou
rage, and strength of the horse. It is easily
kept, very hardy, and no path is too preci
pitous or mountain trail too difficult for
ope of them with its burden. The mule en
joys comparative immunity from disease,
and lives to a comparatively great age. A
good mule jack ought not to be less than 15
hands high, and have all the weight, head,
ear, foot, hone, and length that can be ob
tained, coupled with a broad chest, wide
hips, and with all the style attainable W'ih
these qualities. Smaller .lacks often pro
duce good mules, and when bred to large,
roomy mares show excellent results. Black
with light points is a favourite colour, hut
many grey, blue, and even white jacks pro
duce good mules. In America many varie
ties are to be met- with, viz., the Oatalo
nian, Andalusian, Maltese, Majorca, Ita
lian, and Poitou, as well as a native jack.
Of these the Oatalonian is considered the
best. He is of good colour, possesses clean
bone, and runs from 14J to 10 bauds,
though he rarely reaches the latter. Tne
Andulusign is about the same size, but of
worse colour. 'The Maltese rarely - exceeds
Ibands, but is of fine quality. The Ma
jorca is the largest, and frequently grows
to 16 hands. The Italian is smali, lqit a
remarkably good breeder. The Poitou runs
abount 15 hands, and has heavy bones, long
hair, and a good foot. The Kentucky jack,
on account of the good grass and limestone
formation, grows to a large size, and is
preferred by many bleeders to any of the
ipiported varieties. These would probably
form the best sires for Australia. ' There
are many lhares. and especially farm mares,
■with, slight sidebones, or a tendency to
ringbone, or flatfooted, which, though un
suitable to breed to a draught or wa.'dy
thoroughbred stallion, would breed good,
useful mules, for these would not appear iij
the mule. As the mule is required for
draught rather than speed, and increases
in value with every inch of iris height and
every pound ip weight, it would lie unde
sirable to use too weedy mares. The vnung
lnule can be weaned at four months old,
and will do well for himself if grass is
plentiful, so that the dam need not be idle
more than half the year; in fact, if well
cared for, and only used for slow work, she
may be almost worked the year round. At
two years old the mule is* easily broken.
\Vhen accustomed to the feel of the har
ness, if he has already been broken to lead,
he will take ibis place alongside a broken
mule or horse, and go to work, and,
if well fed, will do his share. With nrcper
Encouragement to start it, mulebreediug
will soon take care of itself, and when
ever the local demand that will arise when
the true value of the animal is known be
comes supplied, and that will not be for
many years (o come, there is p ready mar
ket in India and other countries fyr all
we can supply.
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