New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-01-22
Give tho Mule 4 Trial.

IL IS at the South that the much
abused, yet useful, hardy mules have
won most favor in this country, though
of late years they have been largely in
PRODUCED in the Middle States with sat-
isfactory results. Comparatively few
farmers living at the North have sufli-
GENTLY overcome the prejudices exist
ing against these animals to add them
to their stock, Notwithstanding evil
dence gained wherever they have been
faithfully whether North, South,
East or West-repeats the more extend
ed experience of the South in tho mat
ter, that mules, indifferently fed, hard
worked, and ill treated and neglected
by drivers, sustain themselves for
years in defiance of i'll usage that
would annihilate at least two genera
tons of horses.
The breeding, rearing and manage
ment of mules is not only similar to
that of colts, but it has been proved,
over and over again, that, like horses,
they repay generous care and attention
by their increased and rapid growth.
This does not mean that they require
high feed; on the contrary, it is not
wise to pamper them or form habits of
fastidiousness which tends to lessen the
economical feeding under which they
naturally thrive, and which forms one
OF the strongest arguments in favor of
their employment.
1t is also generally conceded that
mules are not only more easily, surely
and cheaply raised, but that they are
maintained, after beginning to work,
for much less than the cost of keeping
horses. Mr.. Pomeroy, of Boston, after
repeated trials, found that one mule,
which was constantly at work; con-
sumed about the same quantity of hay
and only one-fourth the provender
which was given to two ordinary-sized
coach horses only moderately worked.
His experiments, carried on a number
of years, convinced him that large
sized mule will not consume more than
three-fourths or twO-thirds the food, to
keep in order, that is necessary for
horse performing the same labor. Mr..
Hood, of Maryland, goes farther; he es-
Inmates the annual expense of his
mules at just half the price Of that of
his horses, with the additional advan-
tage on the mules side of more than
twice the working age of the horse.
Robert Stewart, with upward Of TWEEN
ty years experience in the cotton
States, adds his testimony with that of
q host of other equally trustworthy au-
thorities to Mr.. Pomeroy's statements,
and gives the period OF service of tho
mule ut from twenty-five to thirty
years.
In summing up the advantages of
working-mules over horses, the fact
that they are not liable to many of the
diseases of tho horse, and to others on
~ in a mitigated degree-and even
these are easily cured-is called to the
attention of unthinking farmers, as is
the fact that mules mature one year
earlier than colts. Farmers deslrous
of practicing rigid economy, whether
North or South, can hardly fail to make
very noticeable decrease in their ex-
penses by the introduction on their
farms of mules.
While there is not a shadow of
doubt but that, when economy is the
governing object, in slow, steady
labor, the mule is the cheapest and
most serviceable beast, it cannot be
denied that its tricky and obstinate ma
ture, exhibited mostly when in con-
slant use, calls for a large stock Of pa
tiencc on the part of the farmer and
renders the horse most desirable for
many varieties of farm and road work.
Not little of the mules viciousness is
due, however, to alack Of knowledge OF
the animals disposition, and judicious
training will, in most cases, greatly
modify. if not entirely overcome it. An
advocate for the mule, writing from
Macon, Mo-, in the Practical Farmer,
claims that mules are safer and more
easily broken and handled than horses,
and, after breaking, the mule is the:
safer of the two, as he is less liable to
scare or run away. He advises that
mules be handled from the time they
arc sucking colts. They should be
gha'ter-broken and broken to the sad
die and treated with uniform Kindness
while young. When old enough, hitch
by the side Of 3 steady horse or mule
md in one day the mule viii be as well
broken as.a horse will be IN two weeks.
i. World.