Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-08
Mules VS.. Horses.

While horse breeders are sounding the
praises of thoroughbreds, trotters, Perchcr.
ous, Clydesdales, and all the host Of strains
and breeds, claiming untold good qualities
for the one and the other, we seldom or new
er hear single note in favor of that useful
animal, the mule. On the road, amid the
hum of cities, in the very bowels Of the
earth, these patient, persevcring, long-lived
"hewers OF wood and drawers Of water" are
plodding through their daily drudgery un-
honored and unsung. We once overheard
farmer say, with quaint expression The
best horse for farm is a mule y aud we
subscribe ourself champion Of his faith.
Do YOU want an animal which will serve you
faithfully without growl or bak-one which
will keep fat on short commons, never need
the veterinary, always be ready for work ?
Do you want great big burly brute that
will catch coal wagon OH his shoulders and
to,c it up a hill, or u little sprightly fellow to
plow corn or to do chores, or make himself
generally useful? If you do, get mule.
lie will require less care, will cost less mon
cy, will do more work, will cat less corn,
will live longer, and pay you better than any
horse we know of-on the farm. Now it
will be said that mules move slowly, that
they are tricky that they are frequently
breachy Some mules have none OF these
traits, and some have them all, but their
good qualities, taking them all in all, very
lar surpass their bad ones. Who ever saw
spawned mule, or a curbed mule, or a dead
mule that had not been killed by accident
A man may live a lifetime, he may have
gone through the wars, where horses laid
down aud died by the score from bad treat
ment and starvation, but venture to say he
can count upon his fingers the number Of
mules he ever saw yield up the ghost under
any ordinary pressure.
We sing our pGan to the mule only as re-
CARDS his usefulness on the farm. We do
not claim that he is trotter, though we re-
member to have seen some very lively step
pers-nor that he would be success on the
running turf He certainly is not an object
of beauty and would make but poor show
in gilded coach or a lady's phmtou, He
is intended for use and not for ornament.
His place is where the laborer tolls through
the long day, planting and cultivating aud
gathering aud garnering the produce Of the
| fields. lie eats no corn he does not earn!
he is an animal of "business," and goes right
along, slowly but surely, looking neither to
the one side or the other. We confess to a
liking for the mule. There's something hon
est about him he sails undor no false col
ors he puts on no airs, and he is just lit.
tie better at ten or fifteen years Of age than
he is at five or six His principal growth
from year to year is in dignity, wisdom and
ears. He never forgets anything he learns.
He soon learns all about 4 corn.row the
darkeys can ride him at night without his
seeming to suffer from it, and il every horse
on the farm has the episootic, you will find
that the mule-if you have onc-is as calm
ly prepared for every emergency as ever.
Yes, when it comes to business, we like a
mule.-MuStrated Journal Of Agriculture.