Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-09-02
A VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE on MULES.

DT Il. aUSRoE, wooDFoRD CITY, KENTUCKY.
Mr.. Editor :-Supposing that little is known
among the generality OF your readers rs to the
extent of the mule business in this State, | con
clu1ed it would no: be urintereSting to them t.
learn concerning it, and something oi the char
actcr OF the beast itself. as take it for granted
they have not had IN opportunity Of learning all
his chronological developments "r temperament.
Tho mule trade is one Of the largest OF Ken
lucky, and affords one o! he. chief soarccs OF
revenue. The increasing demand for them III
the South, among the sugar ard cotton planters
(which is owing, TO doubt. to the great number
ot farms annually benz, opened III that section. J
affords yrr;' easy solution tur the eagernesS
and cxtcn; to which stock growers launch into the
trade ior it is a VERY E:ary business. requiring
great deal of capital. Tie mule is fcl from
wearing time iwhic:. l.; generally at the age OF
,,r or six months, to the full cxten! OF It's ca
pacity TO cal, and that Ton ou oats and corn to-
,;rther with hay and fodder. IN lieu Of the lpng
!pul. soiing is usually adopted in the summer.
rs The: are kept confined il pond. or paddock.
cun.Gining an acre or two OF ground. which is
istai!y partially shaded, in herds Of one hundred
tor ca" hundr2ri and fifty. in this way they are
kept until the fall after they arc two wears Old
receiving sort of forcing hot house treatment
At this age they are taken to the southern mar.
kct, no; always by the Feeder, but more generally
bv the spcculator or "tradcr,' where they are
sod to the planter entirely unbroken. The
planters are too cautious to buy a broke mule,
less II should prove to be an antiquated, broken
down beast, fattened up, and sold for u young
onc-as it is more difficult to Judge Of their ages
than that Of horse. The external marks of
time, and service is not generally so apparent
upon them. But it is . small job to break
mule. It is only necessary to have steady
horse to work them with and second hand to
drive them an hour or two to keep him up, after
which, he is considered ready for any service
that the farme, may require of him. lie NAV
kick oace or twice, but is unlike the spirited
horse, who when he commences is apt to kick
himself out of the harness before be stops.
There were in this county, in the year 1855,
1000 mules; in 56, there were 2SSS; the numbep
in the country at present have no means of as.
certaining, but suppose it is at least as great,
perhaps greater than i'll any previous year. The
probabilities are thaal Of these, or as many,
wero fed in this count ykh each year. The conn.
ties Immediately around no doubt, fed equally us
mans. some no doubt more. The counties Of
bn. Fayette, Clark and Jessaminc are on.
pa "a quito as extensively in the trade az this.
BESIDES the great number of mules !c;l annu-
ally in those counties, VIC supply New Orleans,
New York and other cities with an immense
amount OF beef, mutton and bacon. These facts
being considered, you may readily imagine lha;
ne must, of necessity, be grain growing peo.
ple. Such is the fact. Yet so extensive is the
mule business, and 80 great are the profits upon
sseding, thht th6se engaged IN the trade can a.