The Madisonian., 1850-05-09

feudal lands. who held their lands by
the tenure Of performing knights ser.
vice, were required to keep horses and
gradually compelled these animals 70
support themselves by serving at lbe
plough OF wagon. From the establish
ment Of the feudal system, the chief
trade Of the world has been war, aud,
next to'ponr, deluded sinfalman him
self, there is no animal that likes mar
tial glory sU.raueh as The horse. Agri>
cullGIs. therefore. both in Europe and
this country, has everywhereiembraced
the breeding Of horses adapted to the
various arts in war. h
*~
l. Mules on general average, 1.-Two
more than twice as long as hOtse.-
They ale fit for service fromlhree years
old TO thirty. AL twelve, a horse has
seen his best days, and his going down
hull, but mule at that age has scarcely
risen out Of his collhood, and goes ON
improving till he is twenty. Instances
are recorded Of mules living sixty and
seventy years, but these are excep.
tions. The general rule istbatlhey averj
age thirty.
9. Mules are never exposed TO disease
as horses are. have spent consider
able time in studying the disease of
horses, from ringbune up to poll evil.
But WIN ever heard Of ringboned,
spawned, wind-broken mule? Immense
sums Of money are annually lost in the
premature death Of high priced horses.
(by accident and disease. The ornifi-
bus lines inthe city Of New York have
not been able to sustain their losses,
and they are beginning u use mules. as
less liable by far even to acci ent, as
we'll as disease. This results frnni the
next consideration, which is that
3. Mules have organs Of vision and
hearing far superior to those Of the
horse. Hence they seldom shear, and
frighten and run of.
A horse frightens because he timagines
he sees Aomething frlghtfll, but the mule
having superior liscelnment both by the
[eye and ear. understands everything he
meets, and, therefore, is safe. For The
same reason he is sure footed, and
hence more valuable in mountainous
regions and on dangerous roads. I
doubt whether an the Alpine paths.a
mule ever fell from mis-step. HS
may have heen deceived in the frmness
ofthe spot where he set his foot. But
not in the pFOpriety Of the choice, ail
! appearances considered,
A. The mule is much more hardy
than the horse. A pair of these animalss
owned by neighhor Of mine, although
small in size, will plow more land in
dne week than four horses. III light
: harness, or under the saddle, in haAl<
. ing iron ore, or on theStdtGrike before
a COnest0ga wagon, one mule to a life
time will kill seven horses. Their ia.
hchlty Of endurance is almost incredible.
5. Another very important fact is
/, that in the matter Of food, a mule will
live and thrive on less than one.halfit
takes 10 keep horse. The horses u
England at this present time are coh-
|, sumiug grain which would save the
!, lives of thousands Of British subjects.
+ A particular friend Of mine, who has
just returned from visit to ireland
I informed me few days ago, that in
r the county of Antrim alone there were
! eighty pnhI houses, containing from
eight to nine hundred paupefs EACH
| Were the nobility disposed to substi'
/. tite mules for horses. the grave might
be cheated out Of thousands Of its VIC
! Tins who starve for want Of gram thai
! horses c0usumes In our country yliow.
ever, the saving Gf grain is no object
i In q national point Of view, the agriCdl-
A lursl iHterest is So great, that the great
!. err the dempud for grain nf all kinds
] the better fur the farluer. But yet III
4 divilual farmers, who are.in debt, and
whose land is not improved, would fnd
l it profitable, In the course often years
! Ito have the labor of fun team, AMI
save Que half and more Of the food he'
1 cessary to keep itup, as might be tbs
: case IN substituting mnles for horses,
BLEssfScoS BElNG SICK. Advcrsities
I kafa blassin6e IN disomise. We kno,S