The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-25

Thomas D. Baird of Kentucky says
in the Southern Cuttirdtor that
there are many advantages for
raising mules over horses They
ara more easily and cheaply raised. Most
mu!es are able to be put to regular labor at
o wears old. A mule under my observation
was put to all kinds of farm work at years
old that in eighteen years of service never
lost one from sickness. ItcoSts less to get a
mule to working age than a horse. The
mule is not only more valuable on the farm,
but there is such great demand for them
that the farmer has great inducement to
engage in such an enterprise as raising
mules. It takes less time to raise and pre-
mare lot of mules than lot Of colts for
market. Young mules may be sold readily
atauy period and in any amount, aud more
than this, they uniformly command a
higher price than drove Of colts of SINH
lar r. la tive quslity.
If the mule is we'll bred he is spirited and
equally active, or even quicker than horses
il well broken. They will walk fast and in
the draught they will pull even more
steadily, and unlike the horse he is seldom
baIky. l bave seen teams so well trained as
not to need line when driven over rough
roads, guided simply by the loud crack of
the whip which they understand as a
sound of encouragement rather than as an
intimation of impending torture. Upon
the farm they are very much liked by those
who use them. l may be too partial to the
mule, but they seem to be peculiarly
adapted to much Of the labor performed.
If the mule is raised for the farm they
are maintained, after commencing work,
for much less than the cost Of keeping
horses In many instances they are indif-
ferently fed, worked hard, and greatly neg
lected by their owners, and yet they sus-
tain themselves for years in defiance of
this. While I believe they are cheaper kept
than horse, and they will eat and do well
on feed that a horse will not eat, yet do
think it pays largely to take better care Of
them than is often done.
Many farmers will not raise mules or
have anything to do with them, because
there is no dependence to be placed in them.
will admit that the mule is more peculiar
than the horse, and harder to keep con-
fined, but believe it is a great deal in the
way they are managed in the breaking. The
mule is very intelligent animal and is not
slow to detect distrust in its owner or
manager. have heard farmers say that it
was useless to undertake to break a mule
until you would knock it down several
times. This is not only cruel, but errone-
GUS; by such treatment the mule receives
such shock, both mental and physical,
that it in many cases Injuries the constitu-
ton of the mule without conducting to the
proper training. Gentle, but firm treat
ment, will soon give the mule confidence in
his owner. and he will yield to his will and
be quite easily broken. l believe it is a
great deal more in the way that mules are
managed than it is in their natures, that
they have received the credit Of viciousness
and stubbcrnness, which by proper study
Of their characters, and by proper treat
ment from the beginning, can in most
cases be overcome. 1t is much easier to
train up mule in the way he should go and
to fit it for the purpose for which it is in
tended than to overcome any bad propensity
arising from years of mismauagement.
At all times the owner should move
among the colts quietly and without evlnc-
ing any outward manifestation of fear. At
weaving time the colts should be placed in
an Enclosure from which there is no danger
Of their escaping until they shall have for
gotten their dams. By this means the first
step is taken to prevent the formation Of
one of their bad habits, that of being
breachy.
Using mules to be bridled and geared
while too young to work will use them to
il while they are not SO strong, and at this
time they will take it pretty much as play
50 that by the time they are 2 years old they
can be put to regular work without much
or no trouble in breaking.
By kind treatment mules may be rendered
the most docile and affectionate creatures
among our domestic animals, and will often
display great intelligence.