The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-06-03
Farm and Home.
AND USEFUL IMPORTATION.
The Mule.
BOSTON Glnhe

The Mule.
Boston Globe.
We feel ia duty bound to have a
least one article year in defens'
of the mule. for so far as the pres
is concerned tue mule is about tn,
most friendless brute in the world
and the time for such an article hal
arrived. The mule is a peculiarly
unfortunate animal. He bears =,
bad name whiclr-has resulted from
some disagreeable peculiarlties
which have been painted grea
deal worse than they are, and which
have been allowed to completely
overshadow the animals merits.-
1t has sometimes been a cause Of
wonder to us that in an age and
country in which every body wants
to publish a journal of some kind
and are seeking specialties which
have not as yet called into exist
ence a paper devoted exclusively to
them, some genius has not started
a journal in the mule interest. Now
here is fed for aspirants to jour
nalistIc fame entirely unoccupied
except by the mule. We received a
sugar beet journal the other day,
which openly confessed that there
was no demand for 1t, but express
ed the hope that there would be
But mule paper would not have
TO look into such a gloomy future.
This field would afford a grand op
portunlty for some insurance com
pany to help itself and the mule
too. Might call the paper the
Donkey Review. By all means let
somebody out of the 100000 in
this country VINO think that their
forte is publishing a paper of some
kind, give this matter his immedi-
ate attention. 1t is strange, how
ever, that prejudice should be al
lowed to go so far as it is permitted
to go in opposition to this usefal
animal. 1t would not be exactly
correct to say that this much-de
spised brute can do more work
than anything in the horse line,
and that it needs no care, no sleep,
no water and nothing to eat; but it
would be perfectly correct 10 say it
can do more work than any animal
of its size, and that it will bear
three times more abuse than a
horse will. The general expression
is, "You can't Kill mule" and that
belief often leads 10 the practice
upon these ANIMALS of a cruelty
which is disgraceful to mankind. |
The usual treatment of the mule is
not calculated to develop much gen
.leness of disposition, and no doubt |
accounts to some extent for the |
which is shown In indi-
yidual cases. But the fact is, that
although circumstances are greatly
against him, the mule is patient
md gentle brute. We recently
onversed with a gentleman who
las had to do with mules all his
life, and he said that he never knew
f but one really vicious mule, and
hat she was dubbed into vicious
ess at the time OF breaking. Dur
lg our civil war these animals were
detailed" to do the drudgery, and
hey always did it well and did it
satisfactorily. When the epezootic
He'd our stables with sick horses
nd the streets were nearly desert
|, the mule was son deck" and he
there. He furnished adj
ItiOnal grounds for the belief that 6
you can't kill a mule" There is
, possible room to doubt that the I
ule is freer from liability to dis
Use than the horse is. But while 8
is true that fully matured mule
as tough as sole leather, it does 1
quire considerable care to get the h
limal up to the point of full devel- s
oment. While young he needs as
UGH care as a common colt does, Z
id if any one thinks it is incum- u
mt upon him 10 abuse the mule,
, must forego the pleasure until k
!, is grown up. 1t would appear,
,wever, as if there were some who d
'uld no. wait; and they proceed W
om the very beginning to s.arve tt
e colt. 1t is true that the mule "
1t does not need as much grain as II
e horse colt does; but he needs n
II supply of good hay, plenty of c,
lter, good shelter from storms S,
d scorching summer suns. Ii
operly cared Tor, the mule will n
pay the kindness, and will prove a s,
animal, and if abused he Ii
IL do better work than any other e,
imal on the place that is abused. W
lie great difficulty in the way of IN
them is their high OIL
ice. They are not any cheaper re
an horses and on an average are ht
t as cheap. Should their merits
come more generally known, they
Ii be more extensively bred, and d.
e price will drop. CT