Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-09-27
agricultural.
How Mules came i'm Fashion.

The Louisville Indus NIL Gazette supplies
a link in farming history which We do No.
remember ~ have met with elsewhere.
save
Few Oi the farmers Of thi- country Il.
aware what depth of gratitude they owe
George Washington for the introduction 6.
mules into general use for farming purposes
Previous t. 1888 there were mt few. and thos
of such inferior order a. TO prejudice far
mers against them unfit to compete wiz
horses IN work upon the road or farm Con
sequently there were 10 Jacks, and DO dis
position to increase the stock but Washing
ton became convinced that the introduction
of mules generally among Southern planters
would prove 20 them great blessing, rs they
are less liable TO disease. and longer lived.
and work upon shorter feed, and are much
less liable to be injured than hOTses, by care
less servants
As soon as IL became known abroad that
the iIlustrious Washington desired to stock
his Mount Vernon estate with mules. the
King of Spain sent him jack and two icn-
MES from the royal stables, and La ettc
sent another jack and .jennies from the island
of Malta, The first was gray color, sixteen
hands high, heavily made, and of sluggish
nature lie was named the Royal Gift, The
other was called the Knight of Malta he
about as high, but lighter made black
color, and 1.-the and fiery, events fer0city,
The two different sets of animals gave him
the most favorable opportunity of making
improvements by cross-breeding, the result
of which was favorite jack, which he called
Compound, because he partOOk of the best
points in both of the original jacks. The
general bred his blooded mares to these lacks
even taking those from his family coach for
that purpose, and produced such superb
mules that the country all agog TO breed
some of the sort, and they soon became quite
common This was the origin OF improved
mules III the United States, though over sew
e1ty years ago. There is no doubt there are
now some OF the third and fourth generation
OF the Knight of Malta and Royal Gift to be
found in Virginia, and the great benefits
arising from their introduction to the country
TO be seen upon almost every cultivated
acre in the Southern States. Notwithstand
ing the enormous increase of late years arts
ing from systematic course of breeding in
the Northern States for the Southern market
mules were never more valuable than at pres
ent, or more ready for sale at high prices.
PLANNING ASPARAGUS IN THE FAIL-Among
the many valuable ideas for which we have
vanity enough to think the hOrticulturist is
indebted II the Gardener Monthly, trans
planting trees Just before, instead Of after
the leaves fall, stands prominent. This Is
but - fall painting. November setting out
IL really winter planting.
Every year, as We note observations and
make experiments, we can see that this early
fall practice will yet be applied to many val
liable purposes we now have little idea Of
Within the past two years we have watched
experiments made by several gentlemen Oh
planting asparagus in August. and the result
a remarkable success.
The ground is prepared as Tor q crop at
any other season, and after cutting of the
green tops Of the young seedlings. the roots
are set precisely as In spring planting They
push new roots at once, and make eyes 80
strong that even from one year old seedlings
some sparagus-but not, of course. vsrv
stio Ig-has Teen cut the following spring,
used, iull coop has been cut in the same
tIme,-a result no one expects from a spring
planting,
In this region the plan has taken strong
hold of gardeners, and asparagus planting is
likely to take rank at once with the straw
berry a regular august opera ion
1t viii, of course, be best in such cases TO
cover the beds, after they have once become
frozen, with some kind of litter not to Ike D
cut frost, but to prevent thawing and freez-
ing until the natural spring season comes :;
or the plants may be thrown out
The same is true OF rhubarb and many
root plants If put in early so rs 10 have
time To put out a few fibres before winter
comes they will push out very strong next
year and season of growth is saved there
by