Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-04-23
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
EsoxoaY OF USING MULES.


II is still mooted question, which is the
most economical for plantation purposes IN
this country, the mule or horse. Many use
both. some use only mules and won't have
a horse for ordinary work upon the place, !
while others will not have q mule but Us
stick to the latter, propose to give some
of nv reasons for the preference.
According to my experience. IN which
am backed by "Oid Joe, f" who was an Old
man as long ago as can remember, and for
many years head man Of my fathers, mules
live twice as long as horses at the same
kind of work. We have mules now upon
this plantation that have worked thirty
wears that is, from three years to thirty
three or thirty-four if can depend upon
the same authority above quoted, as he says
they were bought the year l was oorn'-
Certainly there is one which has been call
ed Old Joe's mule ever since | can remem-
her any thing, and he is serviceable old
fellow vet. He and his old driver now as
free as his mule or his master, have both
grown grey together; and it is sometimes a
question with Mrs. W., when she looks up
on the old man mounted in his Car with
three or four of our children, which he has
the most affection for, his old mule or his
Young masters. But to proceed with my
argument.
Instances are known of mules living SIX
" years but that Is probably as unusual as
for horse to reach the age of thirty. am
satisfied they average twice the age OF hor-
ses.
Mules are not so liable to disease as hor-
SEES; as the great annual loss OF horses all o.
yer the country will fully prove. l have
been told the death of horses in the city OF
New York is so frequent, that many persons
are procuring mules, and that some OF the
owners of omnibus lines have 1t IN contem-
plation to substitute mules How is it
Mules rarely go blind, which can not be
said of horses. was in Baltimore last
summer and it appeared to me that almost
half the horses in the streets had lost their
sight. The hearing of q mule is much more
acute than that of horse; and from this
fact, and that they see better, they are
much less likely to sheer of, or frighted at
sight or sound of any object along the road
side, which horse does, because he lmag-
ions he sees or hears something frightful,
while the mule, with his clear eye and
quick ear, detects the truth at once. For
this reason, mule is surer footed than a
horse, and is, therefore, greatly preferred by
travellers over mountains and dangerous
paths and for the same reason, mules ought
to be preferred for the useof ladies and chill
dren and when well trained, are sufficient
ly spirited for all ordinary purposes.
Mules are able to endure the heat while
laboring much better than horses. have
very small pair, which are nine years old,
that / should not hesitate moment to
match against pair of horses of the same
age and double weight, to plow twice as
much ground in one week of summer wealth
er, to forfeit the team that first failed, the
horses to be allowed just twice as much
food as the mules; and this is no inconsid-
cradle item in favor Of mules upon planta-
ton, and still more where food is to be pur-
chased; for it is well-known fact that
mule will live and work we'll upon rations
horse would starve on in month. The
enormous quantity of human food consumed
by horses in this country, and more Partic-
ularly in Europe, is matter of serious con-
sideration, and should be a strong argument
in favor Of substituting animals that would
perform the same labor while consuming
less than one-half the feed.