The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-08-14
agrirulturul.
Whore our Domestic Animals came
from, and when they were introduced.
IlnRsrs

The first horses brought to America, were
imported by Columbus To ST. DOmingI, on
his second voyage in 1893. Horses were
brought Acadia, (No'a Scotia) in lGOi.-
In lGOS the French extended their settle
ments into Canada, and SOON after intro.
duced horses and other valuable animals.
In 1909, threc ships frou. England landed
ut Jamestown, in Virginia, with immi-
graats aud domestic animals, among which
were one horse and six mares.
The first importation to the Colony oil
Massachusetts, Bay was in 1922, and eon-
sisted Of from iorty.dve to fifty mars,
many OF which either died on their passage
or sDOn after their arrival - that only one
horse and seven mares survived. These an
imals were brought from Leieestershire.
In the vicinity Of P.scataquis river, in
1885 there were thirteen mares and nine
colts.
In 1870, horses were raised in Connecti.
cut in sufficient numbers to be sent to other
colonies.
D. j. Brown, Esq, Of the Patent Office,
records that upon Washington's FIRST retire.
ment in 1888, he became convinced of the
detective nature OF the working animals em-
ployed in the asri 'ulture of the Southern
States, and set about remedyins the evil by
- Of ii ,l
the mule being found to live longer, be less
liable 10 diseases, and require less food, and
in every respect To DO more valuable and
economical than the hors5, in agricultural
labor at the South. Up to this period
scarcely any mules were to be found in the
Union. \ few had been introduced frola
the West Indies, but they were of diminu-
tive size and Of little value.
rs soon as Washington's views on this
subject were known abroad. he received a
present from the King Of Spain Of a jack
aud two jennies. selected from the royal
stud at Madrid. At the same time La FL-
yette sent out jack ana jennies from NAL
Ia. This jack, called the "Hnight Of NAL
ta," WAS u superb animal, Of black color,
with ihe form OF II stag, and the ,erocity OF
n tiger. Washington ayailsd himself of the
best qualities Of the two jacks, by crossing
the bro d, and obtained a tIvorite jack
which he named the COMPOUND" He
bred some very superior mules irom his
coach m4rcs, sendIns them from thiladel-
phia Tor that purpose. In u few years Mt.
Vernon became stocked with mules Of q
very superior order, rising to the height oi
sixteen hands, and OF great power and use
fulness-one wagon team selling, ut the sale
of his vfscts for $500.
The nImber OF horses expor ed from
Portsmouth, n. II in 100. Was two hun
drcd and seven. The number exported from
the United States in 1850, was ,36l horses,
and 2,g4o mules. In 1852, tie value Of
mules and horses exPOrtrd, was S2I7 $50.
According TO the census OF $50, there
were in tho United States. 4,S3S 900 horses
and mules: of 1850. 4,336,Tl9 horse, $50.
33l assOs and mules. The present number
including those of cities, may be safely c.
timAtsd at $50 900, which, at $50 each,
would be worth s3l5, 100000.
As to the prof, OF breeding horses, w
gather rsom the condensed correspondents
of the Patent Office. Few facts which may
not prove uniuterestins. A correspondent
in Penobscot County, Maine. estimates tn,
cost OF roaring until four years old. under
favorable circumstances, at SEQ. lie says
they are worth a, tina, age. SlO0. though
speed and fancy carry them Gar above tha
price, while, on the other hand, some un
lucky accident may make them entirel!
worthless.
Another Maine correspondent, from Wal
do County, says. "Colts at four months oil
are worth from S25 to $50 each. The COS
OF keeping thief first two years is as high a
slo Per aunum; the third and foorth year
about $40 per annum. The yearly loss
will put ons out Of seventeen, or per cent
To this add interest, which makes n col