The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-01-05
The Camel for the United States.

The Camel for the United States.
Major Wayne. Who has been engaged
for some time in importing camels, furnish
les summary of bis observations upon
the value of that animal, to the National
hstslsgencer. It certainly appears as
though the camel would have to work side
by side with the horse, as he does in the
desert of Arabia, in order to traverse the
desert of America. The camel seems to
possess many admirable qualities:
"The Camel does not consume more
food than horse or mule; prefers coar-
ser diet; satisfies itself readily with either
scanty grazing or browsing; requires feed
ing but once day, being ruminant; and
vopld be- with difficulty distressed for wa
ter 1t requires no elose stable, only a
shed protecting it from the cold northerly
winds and from falling weather; and re-
quires no grooming, although certainly
healthier and better, like all other ami
mails, for clean skin. The camel is ur-
doabtedly harder and tougher animal
than the horse; not surpassed, if equaled,
in thecs respects. by the mule; and with
half the forage of either, and with two or
three hours of grazing or browsing, can
be kept in condition.-In addition to the
economy in forage, the use ofcamels saves
the outlay for wagons carts, harness,
shoes, and the necessary repairs Of :.a:;s .::s Il.
The pack saddle being so simple in its con-
struct;0n as to be readily made on the
plantation, its cost will be but trifing.
Its weight, moreover, compared with that
of wagon or cart, increases the physical
energy devoted to the transportation Of
goods. Short distances, say about a
plantation, or for six or eight miles on
the road, strong camel will carry, on
an average, from 800 to 1000 pounds
The Iitallas of Asia Minor, the produce
of the double-humped Batrician male, OF
the single-humped Arabian female, will
average, for the same distances, from /,
600 to 1900.
$50 far, the general advantages from
using the came! may be summed up as fol-
lows: They will flourish as we'll in the
United States as either horses or mules.
They may be introduced at Mobile OF
Pensacola at rates not greater.-certain-
Ily not much greater, than the present
prices for good mules. They are not as
expensive to feed as horses or mules -
They require no close stables nor groom
ing They are as tough and as hardy o:
either horse or mule. They save heavy
outlay for wagons, carts, harness anG
shoes, and constant tax for their repairs
Their physical energy is not largely drawn
upon for the draught of wagon or cart
and therefore is proportionately givel
more usefully to transportation of goods
They will do more good at the same cos
aud keeping than either horse or mule.
"These are the advantages that thinl
may be fairly claimed for the Camel. Nov
let US examine how far this animal, will
these advantages, may be suitabl
for our plantation farm use. Il
Egypt have seen The camel used in cite
and in the country, on plantations, in field
and in the road, for every purpose tha
horses and mules are used with u.s..
have seen them transporting bricks an
broken stone from yards and quarries 70
buildings, sleepers, rafters. scanthne
boards for flooring, &c. l have see
them carryin 6 chopped straw, corn, CO,
ten, fodder, merchandise of all kinds, mel
women and children, and with their bur
dens stepping intelligently and with sur
footedness into and out of clumsy ferry
boats. And I have seen them useful
occupied in.carrying burdens on the dam
and check banks of rice plantations. /
there anything more than these uses ths
our plantations and farms require?"
i More Of the "Wanderer'' Negroes