Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-03-21
THE BEST MULES,


The following article on the best kind of
mules for service, by Mr.. Cockril, of Ten.
nessee, cannot fail to be read with interest
by all who are engaged either in breeding or
raising mules:
The mules is the great field laborer in the
commanding staples of the South-coIton,
sugar and rice; and he is one Of the annual
exports of Tennessee, and rs he will con.
tinue to be 50, he is destined to hold even 4
higher position than heretofore among the
livestock Of the State. Jacks Of excessive
heavy bone, or improper pampering, are
generally lazy, or soon become so by labor,
and become very slow; their driver may
force them on, but in a few steps they take
their slow, natural steps again. Such mules
are, therefore, almost worthless, and should
not be bred if it can be avoided. The most
perfect are not to be expected from the ex.
cessively large, coarse-boned jacks, or ex.
cessive high feeding, but from The laws of
Lature carried out the greatest perfection by
skilllul breeding and feeding.
An error has existed for many years, and
still exists concerning the size of mules.
Size has been made measure of value in
the mule, almost regardless of form and
spirit, and so it has been in their sire, the
jack.
have been employing mule teams for
twenty-five years in the cultivation Of cotton
in Mississippi, and my team now numbers
one hundred. In this time have every va
rety of the mule Except the most inferior
kind) that has ever been grown.
At the commencement OF planting opera.
tions, | adopted the prevalent error, the size
was the measure OF value, and pursued it
for many years, much to my prejudice By
long trial, and by comparing the relative
performances and lastingness Of the large
teams which | have used, aided by reflection
and observation, am satisfied that the ME.
dunn sized mule, full of spirit and action,
with his levers set right for easy motion, his
head and ears up, ready TO move at the word,
is the animal of most value of this kind
The laws Of nature cannot be violated
with impunity. The jack, when grown
within the scope of these laws, is a small
animal. The mule is a medium between the
jack and horse. Both the jack and mule by
a hot.bed growth may be forced to be large
animals. But in this forcing process, now
more extensivel y pursued by Kentucky than
any other State, what has been gained, and
what lost9
They have gained large bone, coarse ami
mails OF large size, and at an early aye full
of defects, and soon ready to decay, because
subject to disease, aud large consumers of
food.
They have lost symmetry, spirit, action,
lasting endurance, aud permanent value.
The error that especially aim at, is the
abandonment of almost everything else for
size The best combination Of the requisite
qualities in the mule is not found in the pro-
duction of Il hot-bed policy, which, by con.
stant feeding, with everything that will has.
ten growth, brings out large, coarse, over.
grown, awkward animal, which decays as
fast as he has been grown. When he is Gle.
signed for the valley Of the southern rivers,
where his service is active and his rations not
select, he wants more game, more spirit
aud action, more symmetry, and not toe
much size. Hence our Tennessee mules.
the produce of spirited jacks are really more
valuable to southern planters, than the pro-
ducv of Kentucky under her present system.
This no doubt to some extent is the fault
of the purchasers south, who have not gene
rally discovered their error. They demand
large size, and pay in proportion to size
aud this in part explains the policy of Ken
lucky. My opinion is, that size in a mule is
nothing after they reach fifteen hands high,
and that many under that height come up to
the standard value, fitted for cotton planta.
tions.
The Spanish and Maltese jacks have spirit
generally, and for that reason are valuable
as cross; but they came to US without
stamina, and with Il contracted chest. These
faults must be remedied by proper crossing
before they will produce the mule best suited
for us.
What | have learned upon this subject is
not from heresay. | have purchased and
grown all the mules which | have driven for
twenty. five years in Mississippi. have had
an opportunity Of knowing what they have
done, and these opinions are the result Of
orner;nncn This knowledoe would have