Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-01-05

559,229 asses and o1ues 9S,360, 141, horned cat
tie. (lueluding G,392,0I mich cows and $685.
24l working oxen, 2l,721,sl4 sheep, and 80,
3l6,603 swine.
HORSES
In the tables of 1910, horses. mules and asses
were returned together; in those of the last
census, the number of horses is given in one
column, and asses aud mules in another. The
increase in the aggregate number of these three
clpsses of animals uuring the ten years, was
559,s53. 1t is presumed the greatest increase has
occurred in the number of mules. Many sup
pose that the great extension of railroads has a
tendency 20 dispense with the use Of large num-
bers OF horses but one very good reason for the
small apparent Increase in the number of horses,
exists in the fact that the enumeration of 1850
omits all in cities and includes all or mainly
such as are employed in agriculture owned by
farmers. In New York, where there are less
than thousand mules, there appears to be de
cline in the number ofhorsesand mules together of
26,566; in Pennsylvania, of about $4,000; in New
England, of II, 900. or more than twenty-five per
cent, while in all these States railroad convey
ance has almost superseded the use of horses for
travelling purposes. On main routes would
more readily attribute the apparent diminution
to the omission to enumerate the horses in cities
and town to any superseding of horse power,
which the opening of railroads would often
bring into requisition in various other operations
In Ohio and the new States of the North west,
the increase of horses has kept pace with that of
the population. The four and quarter millions
of these noble animals in the United States con-
stitute proportion of one to five of the inhabitants.
New York has one horse to seven persons; Penn
sylvania, one to six and six-tenths; Ohio, one
TO four; Kentucky, one to three free inhabitants.
The number OF horses ia the United States is more
than three times large at that in Great Bri-
tain.
ASSES AND MULES.
As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, we
lind i'll the tables of 1910 no basis of comparison
in regard to the raising of asses and mules BY
the last return, it is shown that the number of
these animals in the Union is 5000, of which
all but &c, 900 are found in the Southern States.
For various employments, the mule s far better
adapted to that region than the horse. Extreme
and long continued heat does not enfeeble him,
and the expense of his subsistence and general
care is much less in comparison with the SER
vice he is able to perform. In some Northern
States considerable number formerly were
reared for export and brisk trade was kept up
with the West Indies in this kind of Stock
What are now exported from the points which
formerly monopolized this branch of traffic are
broug ht from the South. Tennessee is the lead
ing State in the production of mules, the number
in that State, in 1850, having been 75.303 Ken
lucky was next, having 65 COG. In New Mexico
the number of mules was 1864, greater by near
ly tour-iifths than the horses returned for that
territory. Much attention has been given to the
improvement of mules in of our Southern
States, and those sent from Kentucky, Tennessee
and Missouri, to be employed in nrmy transport
tation in Mexico, often not inferior in height
to the horses of that country, and were at all
times superior to them 10 strength, endurance
and usefulness.